Yu-Gi-Oh! Season 1
by marc1986
Summary: A retelling of the Original Series only with the crew of Pokemon, Fullmetal Alchemist, and Naruto in the main and other roles. Just a heads up I will try to use both US and Original continuity when I can.
1. Chapter 1

Pokemon is owned by Gamefreak/Nintendo and Cartoon Network

Fullmetal Alchemist is owned by Funimation

Naruto is owned by Viz Media

Yu-Gi-Oh! is owned by TXN (TV Tokyo)

Chapter 1

The heart of the cards

It was an average day at Domino High School. It was seven o` clock, so the students were chatting or catching up on some reading, but there was a small group by the window that were playing cards. "Hey, Naruto. Earth to Naruto." One of the players said and added, "Hey, are you in there? It's your turn." The voice belonged to a black haired youth that was being polite and waited for his friend to make a move. Naruto, who sported a bright orange jacket instead of the regulation blue, was looking at the five brown/black cards in his hand trying to figure out what to do; that was until an old friend interrupted him.

"Aw, isn't it cute when he's thinking." The voice was a brown haired teen that both have known for a while. Naruto knew that it was all in good fun, but he was annoyed that he was interfering with his strategy.

"Hey, Kiba. Ashton is teaching me how to play Duel Monsters." The blonde said proudly while showing the one that was giving him a headlock his head. The name of the game was a new one on him. Of course he had different thoughts than what those two liked to do.

"Drooling Monsters?" He questioned while releasing his friends neck out of confusion. His friends lack of knowing the right name of the game got to Naruto, but not in an angry way.

"DUEL Monsters, dog-breath." He shouted, emphasizing 'duel', back while grabbing his chin and forced him away. The lad took a few steps back, but was able to recover.

"Sheesh." Kiba commented under his breath, but he couldn't blame him. He knew that Naruto often had a short fuse on a few things, and bothering him when he's trying to concentrate is one of them.

"They've been at it for hours. Naruto is starting to get the hang of the game, but Ashton is like an expert." May, who sported the regulation pink uniform, informed Kiba since she was to his right. The three guys also knew of May for a while now, but they decided to just watch.

"Okay, Ashton, it's time to duel." The taller boy said and threw down the card furthest from the left onto the mat. 'Good ol` Kagemusha of the Blue Flame won't let me down.' He thought as he looked back at the name at the top of the card.

"See, each card has an attack number and a defense number. First player to eliminate their opponent's life points wins the duel." May explained after the warrior type was placed on the board. Kiba saw the numbers, but he also saw the position of the card.

'I guess if its put horizontally then it's attack, and the other way is defense.' Kiba thought. He then wondered what the black haired boy was going to use to counter it.

"Pretty cool move, huh, Ashton?" The blonde said in a cocky fashion which is often what costs him as the opponent was about to show him.

"Yep. Pretty good move." He started to say with a smile, but pulled a card: fourth one from his left and added, "But not good enough." The card that he had thrown down was a Blackland Fire Dragon which his 1500 attack power easily crushed Kagemusha's 800 attack power. The instant the green skinned dragon card was put down the blond held an expression of surprise as he held his desk.

"What! Thanks a lot. A card that powerful totally wipes me out." Naruto said to him. He made sure that he said it in a friendly manner since he knew that he was still learning.

"Man, Naruto, you stink at this game." The brown haired one said to his friend in a blunt fashion. It was about that time that the conversation had caught one that was just reading's notice.

"No, you did fine, Naruto. I just have better cards. See, my grandfather owns a game shop, and I get all my best cards from him." Ashton admitted to the people around him of what his guardian does for a living. As soon as he said that Naruto knew what to do, but he decided to speak it instead of just doing it.

"Your own game shop? What are we waiting for? Let's go." The eager blonde said to him while standing out of his chair. The teen mainly wanted to bolster the power of his deck, and seeing where his friend lives was also good.

"Okay." He answered with a short laugh and added, "Maybe I can even get my grandpa to show this super-rare card he's got." As soon as he said that the blond that was reading a book of alchemy for fun since he did not believe in magic.

'Rare card? Could they have found the card that I have been searching for?' The reader thought before putting away the past time book and got ready for class. School was the same as it always has been, but as soon as it was over Ashton showed his friends: May, Kiba, and Naruto to his home.

"Grandpa, I'm home." The black haired youth comment after walking inside. The three of them saw an old man standing behind a counter with a big smile on his face.

"And I see you've brought company." The elderly man said. The three saw that he had hair around his head and a faded yellow bandana on top of his head also a short beard.

"Gramps, could you show my friends your awesome super-rare card?" The grandson questioned politely to his superior. He knew that his grandfather was protective of that treasure, but Ash trusted his friends with this secret.

"Rare card? My special card?" He questioned in a 'I don't know what you mean' kind of way, but then added, "Hmm?" With his right hand on his beard in a traditional thinking pose. Both Naruto and Ashton decided to go for the magic word, and hoped that it would do the trick.

"Please, please?" The dark haired one questioned first with his hands in praying form and his eyes slammed shut.

"Pretty please?" The bright haired one added with a traditional bow to the wiser man. He saw their attempts to of letting them see it, so he decided to give them a shot at his secret.

"Hmm." He continued while glancing, and then said something in their favor, "Ha, ha. How can I refuse." The man then dug around the shelves behind him and got what he was looking for. "You kids are in for a treat. I don't take this card out too often." He informed the group while placing a small rectangular container on the counter. "Ready? Here it is." He added and pulled out his rare card. " The Blue-Eyes White Dragon: so rare, so powerful. I never let it leave my hands." He told them with a big smile on his old face. As three of them gazed at it with Awe, Kiba just casually took if from him and looked at it.

"Hmm, doesn't look all that special to me." He said to them flat out which stopped his friends praise over it and sweat for him while the elder snatched the card right back.

"This card is priceless. There are only four of them in all the world." He said to the one that nearly damaged it. Naruto decided to change the subject, and go for the main reason why he was there.

"Speaking of priceless; I'm ready to trade." He said with a big, almost fox-like, grin on his mug. This only made the grandfather more protective of his treasure.

"Not for this card." He said defiantly while shielding it from them even more. The blond saw the situation and decided to put his mind at ease.

"Huh? Naw, I didn't mean that card, besides it's out of my budget, I meant show me some other cool cards to get me started." His words seemed to have calmed down the elder, so he decided to help out with that. The instant he placed the card back in it's container, and was about to shut it the door opened.

"Hello. Can I help you?" The owner questioned to the man in the doorway.

"If you can't it certainly wouldn't surprise me." The man's voice said in a harsh tone. The four saw that it was one of their classmates, and they even saw a silver briefcase in his left hand.

"Edward Kaiba?" Ashton questioned, wondering why a big shot would be around this location.

"Kaiba?" Naruto questioned taking his eyes off the display case and over to the new arrival.

"Doesn't he have a big, fancy company to run? What's he doing down here?" Kiba questioned to the others the same thought that Ashton was thinking of. The five on the far side of the store just stared at the one at the entrance, waiting for him to make a move.

"Not that it's any of your business, but I came to see the card." He informed with that harsh tone still present. The blond of their group decided to try Ash's main thing: make friends with this guy.

"Hey, are you into Duel Monsters, too. This is perfect, maybe we can all duel together sometime." He said to the one in a red uniform, wondering if he would be up to it. He walked up to the group, and decided to say what he was thinking to the fellow blonde's face.

"Me duel you? I would have more of a challenge playing solitaire." He said that comment with his eyes closed since he already knew the reaction.

"What?" Naruto offered, wondering if he heard him wrong, but he knew that he didn't.

"I am the number one ranked duelist in the country, and a favorite to win the Duel Monster's Championship. You wouldn't last two minutes in a duel against me." He said in a calm manner with a scoff between sentences.

"Ooh, I'm shaking. Maybe you'd like to settle this with fists instead of cards." Naruto threatened since being underestimated was another thing that got under his skin. The dark haired heir saw that this was about to get nasty, so he put himself out as referee.

"Whoa, take it easy, Naruto." He said while grabbing his friends right shoulder since that was the side he was on. He glanced over at his friend with still anger in his eyes.

"But, Ash, Kaiba's asking for it." He said to in a sense to try to reason of what was wanting to do to that guy's face. Edward ignored their talk and decided to go on with his mission.

"Now, does this shop have any worthwhile cards, or not." He said to the owner calmly, and as soon as he said those words he spotted his target. He walked closer to the desk to make sure that he wasn't seeing things and spoke, "The Blue-Eyes White Dragon, in a dump like this?" He was stricken with surprise over what was going on right now. 'It is…the card I have been searching for.' He thought in pure surprise.

"Well, enough window shopping." The grandfather said while closing the lid of the holder to his treasure, and pulled it closer to himself. "Is there anything else I can help you with?" He questioned with closed eyes since he was not interested in seeing that power hungry expression. Edward growled out of anger of the old man's interference and slammed down the case he was holding on the counter.

"Listen to me, old man. Give me your Blue-Eyes White Dragon card, and I'll trade you all of these." He said after opening the case and showing to the elder that inside was all of the cards out there up till now. Three of the four of the others, Kiba still didn't get it, eyes widened when they saw the spread of powerful creatures, and useful magic and trap cards. The owner also saw them, but he had higher standards for the card he was asking for.

"Ah, nice, but no thanks." He answered calmly and politely to the owner of the case. This time all four of them held expressions that said, 'are you Looney'. Kaiba on the other hand just stared at him.

"Fine." He said with a grunt and added, "If you won't trade maybe you'll sell it? Name your price, I can pay anything you ask." The blonde knew that the four were staring at him, but he didn't care he was determined to get that card for what ever price he wanted.

"I'm sure you could, but this card is worth more to me than you could ever offer. Not because of it's power, or because it's so rare, but because of what it means to me. This card was given to me by a dear friend, and so I treasure this card as I do my friend." He told the blonde businessman the abridged reason while seeing his expression change from anger to confusion, and held the container in his hands, "So parting with it is completely out of the question." The elder said after looking from the holder to the man making the offer.

"No." Edward shouted, not believing that someone had the nerve to refuse his offer so calmly.

"You'd feel the same even if it were a common card, right grandpa?" Ash questioned, ignoring Kaiba's shaking fist. The elder was grateful that his grandson understood where he was coming from.

"Exactly. You see this precious card has bonded with my heart." The owner said to the others as to why he refused the money and the cards.

"Fine!" Edward said while shutting the case: hard. "I've heard enough of your nonsense. Senile old fool." He said after taking the case and storming off with a sneer. The business man got into his chauffeured limo and drove off, away from that strange place. 'Heart of the cards? Ridiculous! These cards are all about power, and one way or another his Blue-Eyes White Dragon card will be mine.' He thought on the drive back home. When he got back he had three goons, that he knew wouldn't betray him, into his office.

"You wanted to see us Kaiba?" The shortest one questioned as soon s he entered.

"Gentlemen there's a little something I'd like you to pick up for me at the game shop." He instructed them.

"Gladly, Mr. Kaiba." A tall nameless thug said to him, and they left in the morning after school to limit any witnesses. The three of them entered and all saw that there was an elder cleaning the main counter.

"Good morning." He started, but then said nothing after getting a good look at them. Two tall guys, and a guy couple inches shorter than himself.

"My master: Edward Kaiba challenges you to a duel. You will come with us now." The shorter of the three offered to him. The grandfather, may have been old, but he was still a daring man.

"And if I were to…decline?" He questioned and waited for a response from the tools.

"I'm afraid I must insist." The short one answered which was the cue for the two to take a threatening step forward. The store owner already had a feeling that this was going to happen since he did not give into Edward earlier.

'Young Kaiba doesn't understand, but I'll teach him a lesson about the heart of the cards.' He thought and then said to them, "Okay, let's go." He went with then and simply shut the door. He saw the big guys clueless expression, so he told them, "I don't lock it up because hardly ever shows up." It was several hours since that meeting and right now Ash, Kiba, Naruto, and May were all heading for the shop since school has ended.

"Man, I hope he has some cool cards, today." Their blonde buddy commented since he didn't get a good look because of the whole Edward Kaiba thing.

"Me too." Ashton added since his elder often got the good stuff while he was at school. He team rounded the last bend and entered their chosen hangout.

"Okay, gramps, I'm back to get more cards." Naruto shouted when they got inside. When there was no answer, or anyone at the counter, he tried something else, "Gramps? H-hey gramps!" There was still no answer.

"Grandpa, I'm home." Ashton said aloud, wondering if that would work, but it didn't.

"Maybe, he went out?" May suggested even though that she was getting a little freaked out over this.

"Maybe, but why would he leave the door unlocked?" Naruto questioned to his main friend. Surprisingly, it was at that time that the phone rang. Since he lived there Ashton decided to answer the phone.

"Hello? Game Shop." He said after picking up the phone, and placing it to his ear. He was expecting a regular, but instead it was a new guy's voice.

"Ah, Ashton, perfect." Edward said back to him, and after hearing that comment the black haired one had a feeling he knew where his grandfather was.

"Kaiba?" He questioned, just to make sure he heard right.

"Your grandfather's here visiting, but he's not feeling well. Why don't you come by my office, and pick him up." He instructed and then hung up.

"Kaiba! What have you done Kaiba?" He demanded, getting a little frantic. The team got over there by bus, and then foot for the other block since the driver was too scared to pass that building. The four ran into an open elevator, and took it to the top. When the doors opened at the top floor they all saw that grandpa was belly down on the floor. "Grandpa!" Ash said in alarm and once he knelt down before him he added, "Grandpa, are you okay?"

"Ashton, I failed. I wanted to teach that boy, Kaiba, a lesson about the heart of the cards, but I lost." The elder said to him, explaining his plan, and hung his head in shame. Shame that he was unable to do that simple task.

"Grandpa!" Ashton said in alarm as his elder made a last groan before lying down. The doors to the area in front of them opened revealing Edward Kaiba.

"How's the old man feeling? Hmm?" He questioned, not really caring, just wanting them to notice him. The three others got out of the elevator soon after their dark haired friend, and none of them approved over what he had done.

"Kaiba! You sleaze-ball, what have you done to him?" Naruto questioned with a clenched fist. Even though that he had just met the old man he already liked him, and hated what he saw.

"We had a duel, that's all. With each of us putting up our most valuable card as the prize, but I guess playing up against a champion like myself was just too much stimulation for the old fool." He said to him adding in a slight chuckle at the end to show that he really enjoyed what he had done.

"Kaiba, you should be ashamed of yourself." May stated while pointing an accusing finger at the business tycoon. The other two had gotten more angry over what he had just said.

"It was fair, and look at the sweet price I won." He said as he took out the Blue-Eyes White Dragon before them, and then with both hands he tore it right in half. The five of them were in complete shock over what that fellow teen had done.

"Grandpa's most treasured card." Ashton said in disbelief. He was not aware that there would be those kinds of people that would purposely rip a card. Edward saw and was enjoyed their shocked expressions over what he had just done.

"Yes. The Blue-Eyes White Dragon IS a rare and powerful card, and this one will never be used against me." He said to them while casually tossing the halves to both sides of himself.

"My Blue-Eyes White Dragon, my treasure." Grandfather said with a stretched out arm. He, like the others, had to watch the card be torn apart, but it was he who had to tell his friend of what happened to it. Due to the fact that he was unable to keep his treasure he fell to the pain that his old body went through in the duel.

"Grandpa, hold on." Ash said to his elder and the turned to Kaiba with unshed tears of determination in his eyes. "How could you do such a thing?" He questioned and demanded to the spoiled one. Grandpa saw the look in his eyes and knew that there was only one thing left to do.

"Ashton, here, take this." The game shop owner said while offering his offspring his dueling deck. The dark haired boy saw the gift that was being offered to him, and didn't know if he was worthy of such a deck.

"Huh? Grandpa?" He questioned with worry in his voice and a hand on grandpa's shoulder.

"I built this deck. I put my soul in these cards, and I taught you everything I know, Ashton." He said to the younger boy. "Take them. Take my cards, and teach him respect. Teach, Kaiba, respect for the heart of the cards, Ashton." He added to his earlier sentences knowing that he would need his permission before hand.

"But grandpa, you need help. I need to get you to a doctor." Ash said back to his father figure. It was true that he never said no to a challenge, but not now.

"Sounds like an excuse." The pony tailed one said which made the young ones look at the owner of the voice. "Your friends can care for your grandfather while you and I duel." He finished once he saw that he had their attention. He saw the fear in the main kid's eyes so he added, "Unless, your afraid."

'Blast, what do I do? I want to show Edward a thing or two about Duel Monsters, but I have to take care of grandpa too.' Ash thought wondering which would be the better option, and then he got his answer from his expressive friend.

"Take him, Ashton." He turned around to see that all three of them were looking at him, but it was Naruto that said those words. "We can take care of your grandpa while you take care of creepy Kaiba. Teach that rich, spoiled, brat what a real duel is all about." He continued to speak to him.

"For your grandpa, Ashton." May emphasized, giving the duelist a reason to fight that punk of a rich man.

"I don't know." He said back to them. He had seen Edward duel, and he wasn't quite sure if his skill came remotely close to Kaiba's.

"Trust me. You're the best player I've ever seen, and you've got the Millennium Puzzle. You can do this Ashton. I know you can." Naruto said, wanting to inspire the man that changed him.

"We all do." The brown haired female added to that.

"All right grandpa, I'll do it." He said to his grandfather after giving a nod to his friends. He gently took the deck from the elders, still outstretched, hand.

"I know you will, my boy." He said back. The fellow duelist knew that he had raised a true duelist. An idea came to May as the two were talking, but she wanted to share it with the others.

"Everyone, put your hands together, and I will mark us with a special sign." She told them after taking out a marker that she often had on hand. After the four put their hands together and she drew on them the symbols blew their minds.

"What gives, May?" The blonde one questioned after raising the back of his hand to eye level to take a closer look.

"It's a symbol of our friendship. So, when Ashton's dueling, no matter how tough it gets, he'll know he's not alone. We're all right there with him." She said while showing to the others her piece of the puzzle. The boy in question nodded his head liking her words.

" I better carry him." Kiba offered to the rest and picked the old man up. He, May, and Naruto took the elevator where they saw an ambulance already at the front gates. 'Guess this must happen a lot.' He thought since none of them called for one.

"Naruto, Kiba and I will take Ashton's grandpa to the hospital. Why don't you get back in there and cheer Ashton on." The female of them team stated and suggested to the youth to her right.

"Ok. Take good care of him, May." He agreed and offered to her even though he knew she would. As for the two combatants: they entered the area that he exited earlier and seemed like a small duel arena, but Ash knew that there was something different to this one than conventional ones.

"I designed this virtual stadium myself. Impressive, hmm?" He questioned smugly while standing on one podium. "I think you'll agree, it adds a little more life to the game." He added, hinting his opponent about something. As the stands maneuvered to the right spot he spoke then as well, "We begin with 2000 life points. First player that hits zero losses." When he saw the other stand come to a stop he questioned, "Are you ready to play runt?"

"Playtime is over Kaiba." Ash stated in a serious tone of voice. A familiar, yet foreign power overcame the youth which caused a few changes: sleeker hair instead of wild, a couple inches taller, and different eye sizes.

"What the?" Edward questioned as he saw a confident smirk on the opponents face. Normally when someone faces him they are filled with fear and doubt, but this is different.

"Prepare yourself Kaiba for it's time to duel." He said with a voice that matched his posture and face. Edward tried not to think of how confident he was since he knew that was how his grandfather was until he caught up with his little surprise feature.

"Virtual systems ready. So let's begin." He said and then threw down a furthest from his left on to the field while saying, "So, let's begin. I attack with the mighty Hitotsu-Me Giant." As soon as the card met the mat in front of him a circle glowed on one of the squares beneath them. "Brace yourself Ashton, you've NEVER dueled like this before." He warned as the glowing was being done. As he said those words a Cyclopes appeared before him.

"He's brought the monster on card to life." The black haired duelist exclaimed while taking a step back. Edward liked the surprise on the fool's face.

"It's my virtual simulator. It creates life-like holograms of every Duel Monster." Kaiba informed the beginner. This insight only made him a bit more angry.

"So, this is how you beat my grandfather." He said in realization, and added, "Well, now it's my turn." He drew a card and then threw it down. "I call on the Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress." He said after selecting his creature. For him a blue scaled dragon appeared with a roar. About that time Naruto came into the area just in time to see those two creatures.

"Monsters? Real monsters?" He questioned with a look of pure surprise. He looked to his left and saw a Cyclopes and to his right say a blue dragon. Ash knew that he had to strike now instead of doing things nice and slow. It was a clash between a giants 1200 strength and a dragons 1400 strength.

"Fireball attack." The owner of the dragon shouted out when he saw the beast heading for his monster. The ball was made and launched which caused the opponent to shatter. His dock shook due to the attack which caused another viewer of the fight to grow concerned.

"Big brother. Are you all right?" A younger kid who was also gifted with blond hair, only shorter than his brothers questioned to the warrior on the left. They all saw Edwards score go from 2000 to 1800.

"All right, go Ashton." Naruto said in praise since his pal has gotten an early lead in the duel. Even though he knew that it may be rough, he wanted to show his friend that he wasn't alone.

"Well played Ashton, for a beginner." The pony tailed one said with a scoff as he drew his next card. "But how will you deal with this." He questioned before summoning his weakest creature.

"Saggi the Dark Clown?" The enemy questioned when the image was made clear, and it gave a freaky cackle. "But that card has hardly any attack strength." He added, stating his curiosity to his plan on using that creature.

"True. Your Winged Dragon's attack is 1400 while my Dark Clown's is only 600, but if I combine it with this card." He said while placing a green card on the bottom row. That was when Ash got what he was scheming.

"Ah, a magic card." He said with a gasp.

"Exactly. The Negative Energy Generator. It multiplies my monster's attack by three." He informed and as he said that a dark vortex appeared below the clown which caused it to grow because of the power boost. "Dark Clown attack with Dark Light." He ordered when the power up was complete. The clown did as told and struck the dragon: 1800 to 1400. This caused Ashton's points to go from 2000 to 1600. "As you can see: combining cards can be very effective." He said in a 'know it all' tone after the point reduction.

'He's good, He knows every aspect of this game.' He thought to praise his opponent, but added, 'But my grandpa put all his gaming knowledge, his whole heart in assembling this deck. I have to believe it holds some secret strategy.' He drew his card and saw that his new card was a right leg on it and a tip of a star in the background. The name of the card was: Right leg of the Forbidden One. 'Huh? This card is useless. I can't beat the Dark Clown with this. I have to use a different monster in defense mode. The monster will be sacrificed, but my overall life points will be spared.' He thought, and placed a card face-down on the field.

"Dark Light attack." Edward ordered which was obeyed again, and before it was totally wiped-out he saw that it was Sangan - a worthless card.

"Hang in there, Ashton." Naruto shouted while slamming his fist on the stone guardrail. The four humans watched as a couple of monsters were sent away. Feeling confident that his victory was assured Kaiba decided to gloat a little.

"Your not fairing any better than the old man did, Ashton. Your deck is as weak and feeble as your grandfather." He gloated at him, but Ash knew how to stay focused despite nay Sayers.

"My grandpa is a great man, and a better duelist then you'll ever be. He entrusted me with his cards, and I can feel his heart in this deck. I doubt you have that kind of faith in your cards Kaiba." Ashton said while defending his elder.

"What?" Edward commented since he did not understand the heart of the cards style.

"But I believe in my grandpa's deck." He started and then drew his card. "And my faith rewards me with: Gaia the Fierce Knight." He said with a smile, and then threw it on the field. "With a destructive attack power of 2300." He added when it fully formed. Kaiba for a moment held a ' oh crap' expression as the knight charged. When the attack was made the difference between 1800 and 2300 came out of Edwards points - 1800 to 1300.

"Way to go, Ashton. That's the way to go." Naruto shouted in praise. The dark haired gent heard him, but stayed focus on the fight at hand.

"Alright Kaiba, your move." He stated in a bit more confident than before with his arms crossed. The dent in his life points hardly phased the rich teen in the slightest.

"Ha! This'll be over sooner than you think." He insisted and then drew his card. As soon as he saw the picture he decided to summon it right away, "I call on the Blue-Eyes White Dragon." He announced. The room was filled with the summoning glow and the two of them saw a card that they thought was destroyed.

"What! No way!" Ash said as he stared at his grandfather's treasure. He was not the only one blown away by seeing that beast.

"Impossible! We all watch Kaiba tear that card in half." Naruto said, trying to make sense as to how a card they thought was gone was now on the field.

"Surprised? Did you really think your grandfather was the only one to possess a Blue-Eyes White Dragon." Edward said to them, more than happy to explain how one was standing before them. Without warning the dragon opened it's mouth and obliterated the knight with a beam attack. With the dragon's 3000 to the knights 2300 it made his points go from - 1600 to 0900. "Ha! Your fierce knight is destroyed." Edward commented after Ashton got out of his bracing pose. "Faith or no faith, you will fall by my superior monsters Ashton." He goaded and added, "Power is what this game's all about, you fool. Faith is for losers, like your pathetic grandfather. In your entire deck there's not a single card that can stand up to a Blue-Eyes White Dragon." He paused and finished with, "So, what hope do you have against two." He showed him that he had a second and then brought it out. "Why don't you just admit defeat?" He questioned with a smirk.

"Don't give up, Ashton." The grandfather said through his breath mask. Through the cards Ash felt that jolt of confidence.

"I won't give up - grandpa's counting on me." He said aloud and then drew his new card. He saw that it was a card that could give him a hand. "Huh? A magic card. Swords of Revealing Light." He shouted and played it, and just like that three swords came around the two dragons. "It stops all monsters on the field for three turns." He informed even though he knew that Kaiba has faced it before.

"How desperate. What good will this three turn delay do for you, Ashton?" He said, knowing after facing that deck before knowing that it couldn't handle Blue-Eyes.

'He's right. What do I do? I can't figure out what to do with these cards. There just a bunch of pieces. How can I use them to battle an expert like Kaiba?' He questioned in desperation, not knowing that he would get an answer from inside his head.

'For someone claiming to have faith your giving up too easily Ashton.' A mental image of grandpa said to him. 'Listen, sometimes the cards are like a puzzle. You have to put all the different pieces in their proper place.' He explained to his child.

'Ah, like the Millennium Puzzle? He questioned, turning his astral form to the elder.

'Exactly. Each piece helps create a greater entity.' The father of a father explained to him, and then faded away.

'Grandpa!' He shouted out after losing sight of the figure.

'Like the pieces of a puzzle, Ashton. Remember.' He shouted back while his voice was fading away.

'Puzzle? When are the cards like a puzzle?' The astral Ash thought, and that is when it hits him. 'Wait. Grandpa, once said…' He thought and then recalled an early memory:

"Duel Monsters contains only one unstoppable monster: Exodia, but he can only be summoned by drawing all five special cards. A feat to this very day no one has ever accomplished." Flashback grandpa said ending with his hands to his back.

"Quite your stalling, Ashton, or you will forfeit the match!" He shouted in an irritated fashion. All the while he was thinking back Edward had to stare at that blank expression, and it was getting annoying. That shout brought him back to the present.

"I never forfeit." He said defiantly, and then drew another card. 'Another piece of the puzzle.' He thought when he drew: Right Arm of the Forbidden One. For a stalling move he slammed down the only card that wasn't a piece for protection.

"Draw any card you like it won't change a thing. My dragons may be frozen for another two turns, but my new monster is under no such spell." He said and then played a monster from his hand while saying its name, "The Judge Man with an attack power of 2200." A bearded man with two mace appeared before the dragons and shattered the defense.

'I can attack with the Dark Magician, but he won't stand a chance once Kaiba's dragons are free from my spell.' He admitted through thought after his draw, but since he couldn't risk the pieces he chose to use him. "Dark Magician: ATTACK." He shouted after the purple armored man appeared. It stuck out it's left hand and sent shockwaves at the Judge Man. 2500 to 2200 caused a minor drop of - 1300 to 1000. "Your Judge Man falls." Ash said after the disposal of said creature and points decreased.

"Oh, a sacrifice that doesn't even phase me." He said after taking a look at the board; he then drew his new card. "And though neither dragon can move for one more turn. My next card is…the third Blue-Eyes White Dragon." He said after looking at the new card. That claim freaked his opponent out, and just like the warrior from earlier the dragon appeared before the other two. "Now my dragon attack." He commanded and even though the wizard got ready: he was still blasted. 3000 to 2500 caused the points to go from - 0900 to 0400. "So, tell me, Ashton: how's your faith now? On my next turn - all three Blue-Eyes White Dragon's are free to attack. This game's over no matter what card you draw." He said darkly as the opponent stared down the triplets.

"Don't listen to him Ash." Naruto said as he saw his friend's worry.

'Kaiba had three Blue-Eyes all along. He just wanted grandpa's card so it couldn't be used against him.' The duelist thought, discovering the real reason of that duel. 'My only chance now is to assemble all the pieces of Exodia, but the odds are against me. I don't think I could do this.' He thought as he looked at the deck, and got ready to draw, but the deck sort of moved away from him. "The deck it senses my doubt." He called out in the mental plain. The duelist within grew more nervous after hearing that. "Don't lose focus, Ashton. Don't lose faith. Concentrate." The outer duelist said which calmed him down a little, but what really got him was the thing on his hand. 'The friendship symbol.' He thought, and just like that the others were there too.

'Ashton, we're right here with you.' Astral May said with her hand over the deck.

'Ashton, you've got to believe in yourself.' Astral Kiba said with his hand over the deck.

'You can do it. Just kick Kaiba's butt.' Astral Naruto said with his hand over the deck, and that helped him get his focus back.

"They're right. I've got to believe in the cards like my friends believe in me." He said with his hand still ready to draw.

"Draw your last, pathetic card, so I can end this, Ashton." Edward said, not wanting to waste anymore time on this guy than he already has.

"My grandpa's deck has NO pathetic cards, Kaiba. But it does contain: the unstoppable Exodia." He said and finished by showing the card that he just drew: Exodia the Forbidden One card.

"Aah! Impossible!" Edward said once he got a good look of the card that he presented.

"I have assembled all five special cards. All five pieces of the puzzle." He informed him. On his side of the field there was a dark circle with a star in the center, and coming out of the star was a creature in dull gold colored armor with a pharaoh headdress and shackles on his arms and legs.

"Exodia? It's impossible! No one's ever been able to call him!" Edward said while gripping the rails of his stand, and tried not to fall as he stared at the beast.

"Exodia: OBLITERATE!" The user of that monster called out, and that was exactly that he did. The big creature shot a blast from his hand that was powerful enough to destroy all three dragons.

"You did it! Ashton, you won!" Naruto said in praise of his friend once he saw the score go down to straight zero. The fan for Edward did not like the outcome.

"This can't be! My brother never losses!" The young child said in disbelief when he saw the score.

"You play only for power, Kaiba, and THAT is why you lost, but if you put your HEART into the game - there is NOTHING you can't do." Ashton explained to him, emphasizing - 'that', 'heart, and 'nothing, as he saw the man in angry disbelief over what had just gone on,

"But…but how? How could I have lost to him?" He questioned aloud after placing his dragons in the graveyard for the first time.

"Kaiba, if you truly want to know…OPEN YOUR MIND!" Ashton said while sticking out his right hand and released the darkness from within his opponent. Due to just that affect Edward collapsed to his knees. "There, Kaiba, maybe now you will begin to see." He said when his job was done. After the fight was over the deck gave a hidden message to the original user that caused him to awaken.

"Huh?" Grandpa questioned and was greeted to the sight of a hospital ceiling and through the corner of his eye: a worried May.

"Grandpa's awake." She informed Kiba who was waiting by the door of the room.

"Ashton won." He said to them through the breathing mask as he sat on the bed in a restful lying stance. The bad news was that someone else learned of this news as well, someone that may cause some problems.

"Mister Butler, sir, Edward Kaiba our uncontested champion. He's been in a duel sir by someone named Ashton." An informant in an unknown location said to a man with off purple hair and white suit.


	2. Chapter 2

Pokemon is owned by Gamefreak/Nintendo and Cartoon Network

Fullmetal Alchemist is owned by Funimation

Naruto is owned by Viz Media

Yu-Gi-Oh! is owned by TXN (TV Tokyo)

Chapter 2

The gauntlet is thrown

"Naruto, would you just make a move, already." Kiba said to his friend in an impatient way. He was watching as he and his friend May were playing duel monsters, or to be more accurate watching May beating him. The boy in question looked at his hand, and found just the right creature for the turn.

"All right. Here ya go tough guy." The blond started while taking the card closest to his right arm, and through it down while adding, "My Rock Ogre's gonna rock your block off." They all saw a gray toned rock creature with red eyes card on the desk with 800 attack and 1200 defense. The boy feeling confident ended it there. The brown haired girl simply flipped one of her cards to reveal an orange ball with purple and pink wings. "Sure, May. Like that wimpy card has a chance against my giant rock guy. Give it up." He said proudly and ended with a fox grin.

"I guess I don't stand a chance unless maybe I use…" She began to say, but stalled as she took something from her hand and placed it on the row closest to her. "My Breath of Light card." She finished to them; the card held a picture of a blue spirit blowing air. Her opponent saw the card, and did not like where this was going.

"Huh?! Can she do that?" He questioned the expert to his right for advice since he, himself, was still iffy on the rules of the game.

"Oh, yeah. The Breath of Light wears down rock monsters: reduces them to rubble." Ashton explains, and as he said that Naruto could only picture a cool breeze washing over his beast, and it falling apart just like that. Everyone at the battlefield saw his freaked out expression, and they knew that when he used that face than the match was over.

"That brings your score down to zero, Naruto. Once again, you loose, and I rock." The only female there said proudly over her accomplishment. The dog lover to her left only had pity for his old friend since he was making the guys here look bad.

"You stink at this game." Kiba said to him bluntly which made Wheeler to meet the desk forehead first. Soon class begun, and after a while they were allowed some time off. Naruto spent his pity time by one of the outdoor chin-up bars; not too long after Ashton saw him leaning on one, so he joined him by sitting on the other. For some reason he had a great deal of balance, but he ignored that and focused on Naruto's problem because of that distant look in his eyes.

"That kibble brain, Kiba, is right, Ash. I do stink. I can't win a Duel Monster's to save my life. What is it Ashton? Why can I EVER win? Teach me what I'm doing wrong." The blond spoke of his problem and the questioned for the school's best duelist's help for the game.

"Well, first let me check out your deck, and then we can go on from there." The blacked haired youth commented while jumping off his sitting spot and walking over to the other duelist. The request seemed weird, but he knew Ash, and decided to do as told.

"Huh? Okay." He said and then dug through his back right pocket. He grabbed his whole deck and gave it to him with a, "Here ya go."

"Thanks." Ashton Muto said after getting the cards, and then began to sift through them. At the beginning he liked what he saw: monsters with either good attack or good defense power, but soon he found a tragic flaw in his pal's deck. Naruto saw that the other couldn't stop staring at his cards, so he thought that he was proud of the deck.

"Powerhouse line-up, don't you think?" He said with a confident smile. Ashton stopped looking at the cards, and decided to tell him the truth.

"No offense Naruto, but no one can win with these. Your deck is filled with nothing but monster cards." He said to him with his face showing a little surprise. He was certain that Naruto was there when he played Swords of Revealing Light against Edward Kaiba.

"That's right. I packed it with every butt kicking monster I could get my hands on." He answered back, still thinking he did a good job. When the dark haired youth could see that he still wasn't getting it: he went into detail.

"But that's not how the game works." He started and saw a raised eyebrow from Wheeler. "Duel Monsters is all about combing your monster cards with you magic cards to increase their strength. With no magic in your deck, your monsters will be creamed every time." He continued while emphasizing 'combining' and ended by staring at M-Warrior #2.

"Huh? See? That's the kind of stuff I need to know. Ashton, you've got to help me learn more." The blond said after leaving the bar he was on, and placing his hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Uh? My grandpa's the real game expert of the family. Maybe he can help?" Ash explained to him before they were summoned back to class. When school was out and they said goodbye to May and Kiba the two others headed for the game shop. "Hey, grandpa, I brought you a new student." The grandson explained while walking inside. The elder was smoothing out the finishing touches of a poster to the wall when he heard that comment.

"Huh? Student?" He questioned since he did not recall offering to teach anyone the art of Duel Monsters. The two got close to the ladder the third was on, and Naruto Wheeler decided to explain what his offspring was talking about.

"I was hoping since you know more about Duel Monsters than anyone. Maybe you'd teach me." He said while the elder was getting off of the ladder. He heard him, but the grand father was unsure if the blonde one had it in him to learn.

"Teach you? Duel Monsters is a very complex game." He said, not to intimidate, but as a warning: warning him that if he does accept it will not be easy. Naruto heard the word 'complex' and thought of,

'That's the understatement of the month.' He decided to explain his main plight about the game. "Yeah, tell me about it. May beat me three games in a row." He said, feeling bad that he lost to ANYONE that badly.

"Uh, actually Naruto, it was more like she beat you about five times." Ash corrected him. Hearing the truth made him feel even worse.

"Five? Aw, man." He said and then saw the poster. 'That would be cool to see with my own eyes.' He thought as he stared a black knight going against an off red dragon. The grandfather saw where his wonder eyes were going, and at that he could tell that he really wanted to learn.

"Hmm. Yes. I could teach you to be a great tournament duelist, but only if your willing to spend endless days and sleepless nights filled with rigorous training." He said to him again in a warning style.

"Aw, piece a cake." Wheeler said back to him with a wink. With that one wink he could tell that this student wasn't going to take it seriously.

"With an attitude like that: teaching you may not be worth my effort." He countered with a serious, steely gaze in his eyes. It was a combination of those three things that caused him to worry a little bit.

"Smooth move there, big mouth." Ash said as he watched the classmate sweat it for a few moments. Naruto then fell to his knees and tried to have the one that thought of the idea help him.

"Please, Ashton, help me convince him. I will work hard, I promise." He begged to him. This was his main best bet to not totally suck at Duel Monsters, but he needed help to convince this expert that he was worth teaching.

"Listen…Naruto, teaching you Duel Monsters is too big a challenge; even for my grandpa." The heir to the shop said to his friend. He was using that as an inspiration speech, and as a sign for his grandpa to be the next one to talk.

"It's not impossible." He began, knowing that is what they both wanted to hear. The info caused Naruto to raise his head, and look over to the elder.

"You mean it gramps?" He questioned while half of him should have expected that if Ashton Muto was as nice as he was then his folks would have to be just as good.

"Naruto, he already said that he couldn't do it, and if he said that then there's nothing we can do." Ash said to him, baiting grandpa to go on.

"I never said I could do it…" He began while winking at Ash, even though that he may have only seen him open one eye, showing him that he understood. "But if I agree you must work hard." He said with both eyes open, and a serious tone.

"I'll do anything. I promise; I promise." He quickly said with fear in his eyes since the grandpa was starting to scare him. The elder liked to hear that and he thought the youth's expression was funny, but decided to make him sweat a bit more.

"Hmm. Fine. Then we'll start your instruction immediately my young friend and believe me under my tutelage you WILL learn." He said while cracking his right knuckles with his left hand. "Now can you name the most powerful Duel Monster?" He questioned the young one.

"Uh…no." He answered back bluntly.

"Can you name the weakest?" He questioned since almost everyone knew that one.

"No." Naruto said back.

"You do know what a trap card is, don't you?" He questioned, praying that he at least knew that much.

"Uh…kinda…I have no idea." He tried to lie, but after the look he got he decided to tell the truth.

'We've got a long way to go.' Grandpa thought before getting to work, and after five weeks the guys decided to watch the final set up for a Duel Monsters match on TV.

"Good Evening duel fans and our ten million viewers at home, and welcome to the Duel Monsters Duel-Dome. Where tonight the Duel Monsters regional championship will be decided. Of the 200 duelist that have competed in this marathon tournament only two competitors remain standing. An announcer said to the crowd present and the others at home. "Put your cards together for - Bugsy Underbrush - the bug brawler. And his opponent the number one ranked Zaku Saurus- dino duelist." He added with the crowd cheering for both.

"Worm wuss against Scale Belly? What kind of match is that? That should be me out there." Naruto complained as he watched the broadcast.

"I know that you have been training for weeks, but those guys are in a whole other league. Your just not ready yet." May said to her enthusiastic friend. She and Kiba were on chairs to either side of the television and Ash and Naruto were on the three section couch in between the chairs.

"Sure rub it in." The boy in question said with his eyes closed and arms crossed. Ash decided to side with May on this one.

"And on top of that you're so tire you can't keep your eyes open." He said and then they all heard him snoring while sitting in place. "I think grandpa's lessons have been a bit too tough for him." He added, not knowing that was what he was dreaming about. Naruto was there shuffling his deck for the thirtieth time over. He glanced over and when he saw no one he laid his head down while muttering.

"So tired must rest." A little after he got into a sleeping pose he knocked his deck to the ground by accident. Grandpa showed up after going to an old friend's house, and that was when he saw the cards and the sleeping boy.

"You have no time for rest!" He shouted while slamming a bamboo training sword on the desk. The sound of wood on metal frightened him a little bit, but he was awake now. "Did you come here to learn Duel Monsters, or did you come here to catch up on your sleeping." He shouted in anger. Back outside his mind the others were just listening him snore, but Kiba had an idea of how to wake him.

"Well, I guess what they say is true: ya snooze, ya loose." Kiba said which caused his friend to wake up with an angered 'hmm' and a laugh from the brown haired beauty on the other chair.

"Ugh. I must have been nuts to think I could ever learn this crazy game." He said whit his head hung low. The other three of them watched his actions, all unaware of the fifth one there.

"Time for you lesson." The elder said in a commanding tone while holding a box. The sentence made the blond of the team shiver with fear, so he turned to the back of the couch to face him and ask him a common question.

"What? We're not done?" He questioned while wondering what else was there since he now knew what magic and trap cards were.

"Not by a long shot you slacker." He answered back and got a groan from the boy. "Now quit your whining, Naruto. I know you've been working long and hard, but you really are coming along as a duelist. And I'm quit proud of you." He said not really seeing the unshed tears in the other eyes from his words.

"Thanks, old man." Wheeler said, and thought since they were having a sentimental master/student moment it was okay to attempt something, but right when he got up for a hug.

"Oh, by the way, Ashton." He said while walking away and letting the student to fall chin first on the carpet. "This package came for you." He added while showing his kin the white and green box in his hands.

"A package? What is it gramps?" Ash questioned him. He knew that he did not wander around the mail, but since he was the one to pick it up he should have some idea of what it is.

"I don't know. It just came in the mail." He answered back. With nothing to lose Ash sat on the couch with his knees, got the package from his grandfather, and then turned to sit back on his butt.

"It's from Industrial Illusions." Ash said to them after reading the return address. What he said confused the others since they all know or at least heard that it was a pretty high ranked.

"Industrial Illusions? That's the company that makes the Duel Monsters game. Why in the world would they be sending you a package, Ash?" Naruto questioned going back to the couch while climbing over the back.

"I have no idea. Is it possible that they heard I beat the world champion." The dark haired one theorized. The rest knew what he meant, but they wanted to make sure they were thinking of the right guy.

"You mean, Kaiba?" May questioned, wondering if what she heard from his grandfather was true.

"Yeah. It wasn't an official match, but Edward Kaiba did drop out because of me." Ash said to them and recalled the last bit of their battle.

"Draw your last pathetic card, so I can end this, Ashton." Edward threatened.

"My grandpa's deck has not pathetic cards Kaiba, but it does contain…The Unstoppable Exodia." Ash said back while slowly placing the cards on the mat while listening to Edward shout:

"Impossible!" Ash then put the last card in and the beast appeared.

"Exodia, OBLITERATE!" Ash said and after a scream from Kaiba he went back to reality.

"Just hearing Kaiba's name give me a headache." Naruto informed the others. The team knew that Wheeler could do without seeing or hearing of Edward, since they didn't really hit it off.

"Guys, check it out Saurus just stomped Bugsy." Kiba informed them over what had jut happened. The dog owner mainly focused on the match, and just a little bit of listening to them. The other four began watching the fight, and they were wondering what was their game plan.

"Hey, Ash, these guys any good?" Naruto questioned the other knowing that he has probably watched every match ever broadcasted, and knew their moves.

"Yeah, they're both pretty tough customers." He said to them while staring intently at the screen. "Bugsy specializes in Insect cards and he's a great strategist. Then you have Zaku Saurus and his dinosaur cards. He uses their power to overwhelm his opponents." Ash informed them of what the two prefer to use.

"Itsy, Bitsy bugs against dueling dinosaurs: Saurus got this one in the bag." Naruto said while waiting for the one sided stomp-fest. The others did not want to agree with him, but since most of them don't really watch them except for today they remained neutral.

"I wouldn't be too sure." Ash said and then decided to listen to the rest of the match.

"All right Bugsy. Consider yourself Dinosaur Dinner." Zaku said as he summoned one of his oldest cards.

"Oh, and Saurus plays the strongest card in his deck the terrible Two-Headed King Rex. Looks like this match could be over right here right now." The announcer said as he saw the purple and yellow dinosaur with wings, and saw its 1600 attack power and its 1200 defense power. The broadcast stopped for the sake of the sponsor but it was short, "We're back monster fans and with the Two-Headed King Rex in play it looks like this duel is all done." He added and waited to see what came next.

"Your move." Zaku said while feeling sure of his strongest card out in play.

"And all I have is this weak little bug." Bugsy said after a laugh, and placed a green but with red eyes on the board.

"Bugsy Underbrush counters with…a Basic Insect card." The announcer said after seeing the Basic Insect with it's 500 attack and 700 defense. 'Bad call.' The announcer thought after seeing both cards

"He plays a wimpy bug against a giant dinosaur. The place will be covered in bug guts." Naruto explained to them. He knew that those were-holograms, but he was using that as an expression.

"Maybe, but I wouldn't underestimate Bugsy." Ashton warned as the five continued to watch the feed of the fight.

"King Rex, let's take this championship. Stomp `im." Zaku said and got a roar from the dinosaur who was ready to squash his enemy. Bugsy only laughed for a short while as he saw the creature coming at him.

"You've attacked your way into my trap, but then how could your tiny dinosaur brain know: when an enemy attacks my vortex activates." He said and just like that an image of a yellow vortex on a card appeared on the platform's screen.

"Oh no, it's a trap card." Saurus shouts out, and wished that he could tell the reptile to attack, but it was too late.

Which totally traps your King Rex in its inescapable embrace." Bugsy said while pointing at the creature in question. A funnel of sorts appeared all around the creature, making it impossible for him to do anything.

"No, my King Rex." Zaku shouted after seeing his creature trapped.

"And while he's tied up I'll upgrade my Basic Insect by giving him armor with laser cannon." He informed and played it allowing spiked shoulder pads and a laser canon for his back to appear on the Basic Insect. "Not such a weak little bug after all, hmm? ATTACK!" He questioned and then shouted. A shot was fired by the cannon and destroyed the reptile. "And King Rex is extinct." Underbrush said with evil joy.

"Aw, beaten by a bug." Zaku said while feeling crummy for himself. The crown was cheering praise for the victor, so the announcer decided to add to that.

"A stunning upset by Bugsy Underbrush: our newest champion." The announcer said while the platform lowered down. As it did the victor held his deck up high and gave a weird laugh for his feat.

"Man, unreal, King Rex squashed by an insect." Naruto said to the others in disbelief.

"And now a very special honor for our new champion. Here to present the Duel Monsters championship trophy, the creator of Duel Monsters, and the President of Industrial Illusions, ladies and gentlemen and fellow duelists I give you Maxwell Butler." The announcer said to the others.

"Congratulations." A man in a white suit and off purple, near white, hair said after coming out of a trap door on the dueling arena.

"Thank you." Bugsy said and accepted the gold, or gold plated, trophy from the taller gent.

"And as regional champion I invite you to compete in a bold new tournament that I'm hosting at Duelist Kingdom." Butler added after giving the trophy and standing at full height since Bugsy is a little shorter than he was. Underbrush was blushing for all the other kids he could scam at such a place.

"Mister Butler, with the announcement you made tonight we'll have thousands of duelists flocking to Duelist Kingdom." One of his informants said to his boss while in a limo driving away from the Duel-Dome.

"Yes, events such as this will hopefully attract those that possess the Millennium Items I seek." Butler said to his employee in a serious manner. "Which reminds me…" He stalled and knew that the informant knew what he was getting at.

"The package was delivered to the boy, just as you ordered, sir." The brown haired man said back to him. The worker knew that this was the same one that defied Edward, but he still wondered what was boss' fascination on this guy.

"Excellent." He answered back. Back at the shop, the kids were talking about the brawl that they have just seen, and as they were talking a though occurred to his grandfather.

"Ha. With all the excitement of the championships you forgot to open your package, Ashton." His grandfather said. The boy put it on the coffee table that was in the middle of the seats, and at first just stared at it.

"What could it be?" He wondered, and after taking a knife to the tape he opened the cardboard and saw some random items inside.

"Some kind of glove." May said while spotting a maroon glove with a holed white wristband.

"And stars." Naruto added as he spotted two rusted gold colored stars on top of a small rectangle. In truth the team did not know what to make of that stuff.

"Well, maybe there's an explanation on the video tape." Kiba said as he spotted said item near the upper corner of the box. Ashton took the tape out, and looked at it.

"Pop it in, and check it out." Offered Naruto since he did not see the harm in it since it was just a tape. Ash gives him a nod and pops it into the device.

"Greetings, little Ashton, I am Maxwell Butler." A head said to them after a few moments of snow on the screen. All of them were a little caught off guard of who it was.

"Butler?" Questioned Naruto when he saw the mug.

"We just saw him on TV." May said to the others which added to the fear of what he wanted.

"The great Maxwell Butler sends greetings to my Ashton." The grandfather said while not knowing to accept this as good or ill omen.

"I have heard of terrible and interesting things about you, Ashton." The corporation president said which peeked the said boys interest, so the tape went on. "Your impressive defeat over Edward Kaiba intrigued me so much I decided to investigate your amazing dueling skill personally. Right here, right now. We shall hold a special duel - we'll play with a strict time limit of 15 minutes and when times up the player with the higher life points will be the winner. Are you ready?" He instructed and then questioned which again caught him and the others off guard.

"He can't seriously expect to fight a videotape?" Wheeler said in surprise of what he, and the others have heard.

"That's crazy." Kiba added to the statement. The image of Butler chuckled at their innocents.

"No, it's magic." He said and sent some strange vibes from his eye. These vibes mainly effected the other four.

"Huh? Everything has grown dark and cold, and the others aren't moving." He said when he noticed the change of the location. "What have you done? Where have you taken us?" He questioned to the screen.

"We're no longer in the world you know, but I will return you after our game." He offered to the only one that could move after a chuckle in praise of what he had done.

"Then it's time to duel." Again the force washed over Ashton, and this new person took out and unfolded a dueling placemat that grandpa always has on top of the VCR.

"Start the clock and make you move Butler." The creature said after he quickly shuffled his deck and put it on the specified spot.

"Certainly, let's begin." Butler said and had the clock begin from fifteen minutes, just as he said he would. "Nervous, Ashy-Boy, you should be. You've never faced a duelist like me before." He informed while placing one card face down.

"You may be good…" 'Ashton' began to say before being interrupted by.

"I assure you I am." Butler said, confident of his special talent.

"But I will beat you to save you friends." He continued and pulled the third card going from left to right and raised it to his eye.

"You won't save anyone with that dragon card." He said darkly while allowing a faint glow to come through the left side of his hidden face.

"What!?" The other said with the card still close to his face: surprised that the person guessed right of the beast he was about to throw down.

"I told you, you've never faced anyone like me before. I know every move you'll make, before you can ever make it." Maxwell said with a joy in his voice. His amusement came from that surprised look on Ash's face of being exposed. "Knowing every move you'll make gives me a distinct advantage wouldn't you say." He added through his enjoyment.

"What!" Ash said, not believing him.

"For example I can anticipate your next move, and counter it with this Dragon Capture Jar." He said and as soon as he said the name of the card an unknown white light came over it. "It will draw the Koumori Dragon from your card and imprison the beast." He informed after the light hit his hand, summoned the dragon which turned into a vapor cloud, and into the card. "Trapped never to be played against me." He added when it was all over.

'This is seriously crazy: first he reads my mind and then he brings the monster on my card to life. ' Ash thought after seeing all of that.

"This dark dimension that we're in is called the Shadow Realm. A mystical place where incredible monsters can be summoned, and the impossible it quite possible." He said and in an informative style.

"But what you're telling me: can't be true." He said aloud, angered that this man was enjoying his plight

"Tell me something Ash, do you believe there is magic in these cards?" Butler questioned innocently.

"You should know you invented this game." He answered back in an irritated fashion.

"What if I told you I didn't?" He questioned when Ash got out a card from his hand, and saw a 'huh' look on his face, so he carried on. "In ancient times the Egyptians call this the Shadow Game. Powerful Pharaoh's would hold mystical duels in other dimensions, just as we're doing now, but not with cards. They battled with real monsters, and real magic. Magical forces so powerful the Egyptians lost control of them, and nearly destroyed the entire world." He informed him without losing his serious expression.

"It's a good story, Butler, but these monsters, can't be real." He said to him and added in thought form, "That story being fake beside the point there's still that jar and with it on the field I can't summon another dragon.' He tried to think of something, but with his stalling came Butler's voice.

"That even the super-rare Blue-Eyes White Dragon, held by Kaiba whom you defeated, Ashy-Boy, can't stand up to the card I holds in my hand." The millionaire said proudly .

"Not even the Blue-Eyes White Dragon." Ash exclaimed after hearing that.

"What can I say the game is evolving every day." He said boastfully since he already had a few to put into distribution right now. "I also know that you're planning on summoning Silverfang and use the magic card Full Moon to increase it's strength, but this card can handle Silverfang nicely." He added before letting the enemy see it. He looked at the card that Butler presented to him before summoning it to the field. "Tell that to my Dragon Piper as his flute of resurrection frees Koumori Dragon, but puts him under my control." He informed as a Jar shaped creature with arms played a song with a flute and the creature that was captured at the beginning reappeared.

"I have to counter attack." He said and added, "Silverfang." A white wolf appeared before him, but he wasn't able to slip in the Full Moon as Butler said he would since it was an equip card. The dragon came through the television and used a flamethrower kind of move which reached Ashton. "Ugh. The heat." He said and actually felt the burn and after a few moments the wolf was gone and his points went down from 2000 to 1500.

"HA. As you see, Ashton, these monsters are very real, and also quite dangerous." He said while giggling to the opponent. 'Good thing my Dragon Piper adds 200 for the first turn he does that trick.' He thought in praise of making a special Dragon Piper. "Aw, Ashy-Boy, you're really quite entertaining: the way you scowl and sneer. So defiant and yet so helpless, and so ignorant of the power of you Millennium puzzle." He added semi-serious to his opponent.

"What?" He said aloud and added, 'How does he know of my item.' He thought before hearing what else he had to say.

"5000 years ago a powerful pharaoh locked the magic of the Shadow Games away." He began to speak, but the other was impatient.

"What does that have to do with me?" Ashton questioned while still kneeling before his mat.

"The pharaoh captured these vast magical energies in seven mystical Millennium items." He explained a bit further and waited for that piece of info to be absorbed by the black haired youth.

"Seven items?" He said to himself and added to Butler, "Your saying that my puzzle's one of them.." The Illusion owner could hear the intrigue in his voice so he went on.

"Yes, and there are mystical energies locked within it. Magic that could change your life forever if you only knew how to unleash it." He said at first happy but ended with a serious expression and pointed at the said item.

"But, why are you telling me all of this?" Ash questioned back, not understanding why he was speaking of all this power.

"Why? Simply because I need you to know, but perhaps I have said too much." Maxwell said while putting a card to the right of his Dragon Capture Jar. "And since the clock is still ticking I propose we continue playing our little duel." He added to his earlier statement and waited for the other to attack.

'He's right. Time's running out, and I haven't figured it out if he can really read my mind or if it's some kind of trick.' He thought to himself, and Butler saw that he was thinking so he decided to use his specialty by pulling his long hair out of the way.

'I've got to try something, maybe my Zombie Warrior.' He thought as he picked up a card with a skeleton on it from his hand. As he slowly rose it from his hand he heard a soft chuckle from the screen. 'Wait a minute! He definitely knows what I'm about to do, but how? It's got something to do with that weird eye of his.' He thought while stopping himself and remembered what happened with the eye. "That's it, isn't it. That weird eye must somehow let him see the cards in my hand, so no matter which card I pick he's already one step ahead of me. I think I know how to use that against him.' He thought ending in a smile.

"Hurry up, now, Ashy-Boy. Time is running out." He issued back to him. "For you and your friends." He added darker to his earlier statement.

'Butler is expecting me to play a card from the hand, but what if I play a card even I haven't seen yet. What happens if I draw a new card straight from the deck without even looking at it.' He thought and did just that.

"I already know you plan to play the Zombie Warrior, and I'm already prepared to counter it with a trap card that makes even zombies lie down and play dead." Maxwell said, not even paying attention to the fact that he used a card from the deck.

"Not this time. I figured out your little game, Butler. You may be able to see the cards in my hand, but you can't see the cards I pull from the deck." He said, feeling proud over what he had just done, and after he heard a 'hmm' from the opponent, "My next card is the Dark Magician." He flipped and was grateful that he showed up when he tried that stunt.

"Ooh, a big scary Dark Magician." Butler said sarcastically not the least bit frightened of the new arrival.

"Mock me all you like Butler, by my magician will destroy that dragon." He said while staring at his former creature. Maxwell wondered if he had it in him.

"Go on ahead…if you think it'll help." He counter stated to him.

"It'll do more than help, Butler, It'll bring you closer to defeat and bring me closer to saving my friends." He said and knew that this creature would do just that.

"If it can do all that then by all means play it." He said back with closed eyes. Seeming truthful enough Ashton went for that idea.

"Dark Magician: dark magic attack." He ordered after the creature appeared which sent a shockwave based attack. Maxwell screamed in fake pain as the dragon was destroyed above him.

"Ha, ha, ha. Nicely played, but by using your Dark Magician you've let me manipulate you once again." The long haired wonder said and got a 'huh' out of the boy, so he explained. "By playing that one card you have ensured my victory." This still did not add up to the other duelist.

"No." He said flatly, knowing that the wizard was going to see him though this madness.

"We will see, Ashton. Oh, a very rare card this is the fearsome Faceless Mage." He said and showed the other the card that he had just drawn.

"I've never seen that card before." Ashton said when he saw the three headed card in Butler's hand. "But my Dark Magician is one of the strongest magic casters in the game." He added when he caught a glimpse of a one on the attack power.

"But how will he fare once I combine my Faceless mage with equally rare Eye of Illusion." He said and did just that. The mage came out of the card with its new found power, and was ready to do as it was told.

"Dark Magician: dark magic attack." Ashton countered wanting to get rid of that eye sore quickly. The purple wizard did the same hand stunt as he has done with the dragon and Judge Man. However this time the other mage put up both hands while using it's new found upgrade. "Dark Magician." The boy shouted out to the cloud of smoke, which appeared when the attacks canceled each other out, and saw that both creatures were still standing tall. 'My attack had no effect at all.' He thought and saw his opponents confident smirk; which was starting to get to him. "His faceless mage should have been destroyed, but it's still standing and I'm running out of time." He said and glanced at the clock which read: 05:01. 'I'm up by three hundred life points, but that's mainly because Butler's messing with me. I've got to find a way to beat him at his own shadow game.' He thought as he tried not to stare at the clock. 'Butler sure knows a lot of tricks, but every obstacle has a solution. I just have to trust in my grandpa's cards.' He thought and then drew and liked what he saw. "I attack your combo with the Celtic Guardian. This mighty warrior will cut that mage of yours down to size." He announces, and said creature appears.

"True, your guardian is mighty, but you have once again underestimated the incredible power of Eye of Illusion." Butler said as the swordsman stood tall before his three headed beast.

"No.!" Ash shouted of another blunder of his.

"Dark magic attack." Maxwell said and just like that a sphere of dark energy came shooting through the field. It slammed the creature right in the chest, but as the energy came over him the guardian saw of the creature and thought.

'Downed by friendly fire. That's gonna look great on me.' He thought before disappearing on the battlefield. The name of the attack caught Ash's interest, and his curiosity.

"But that's impossible. The Faceless Mage doesn't have a dark magic attack." Ashton said knowing that if it did then he would have used it instead of the magic card. "Oh no." He said when he realized of what was really going on. 'It was my own Dark Magician that attacked me. That snake, Butler, is controlling him with the Eye of Illusion.' He thought when he saw the purple clothed one with a glowing eye on his chest and vacant eyes. 'But if he is using it's magic to control the Magician; what's protecting the Faceless one.' He added to his earlier thought.

"Well, Ashton, our time together is nearly up, and as I have more life points then you it would appear I am the victor." Butler said after placing a card face down and then clapped for his own success.

"There's still time on the clock Butler, and you've left your Faceless Mage vulnerable to a physical assault." He said while showing a second powerhouse to his enemy. His defiance was something that Maxwell did not like, but he watched as the creature was placed on the mat. "Summoned Skull: attack!" Ashton shouted to the card. The creature in question got out of the and flew straight at the Faceless one, but right when they were forehead to forehead the timer claimed zero.

"Hmm, well, we've run out of time, but how close was that. If you had been able to complete that attack I would have lost, but I didn't, did I." He said the first part upbeat, but the second part piece darkly. "I have taken the measure of your talents this day, Ashton Muto, and next we duel we shall play for far higher stakes." He instructed to him.

"I'm done with your games." Ashton countered calmly, but still a little angrily.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. You presume I'm giving you a choice in the matter, but I'm not." He said and pulled his hair back so Ashton could see his whole left eye was an item, and that caught the young one off guard. "For I too possess one of the seven Millennium items. The all powerful Millennium eye." He continued through the gasp he got out of Ash.

"A Millennium eye?" Ash question with a combination of awe and gross going through his mind as he saw the item.

"That's right, Ashy-Boy, and now I'll show you the true extent of it's magic." He said and had a gold beam shoot out of said eye witch caught the only person that mattered Sarutobi Muto. "You see I have found that, given the proper incentive, anyone can be made to play my game." He explained while his beam took grandfather's soul into the screen.

"Ashton." Grandpa Muto said through the snow on the screen. The sight of the elder forced the child to come out. Ash gave his head a little shake over what took him over, and that was when he saw his grandpa.

"Huh! Grandpa." He said as he got up close to the screen.

"Yes, we will duel again, Ashy-Boy. How else will you reclaim your grandfather's soul." Butler said as he and the soul faded away, and the shadows with them. Three out of four watched their friends actions, as the fourth body fell to the floor.

"Grandpa? Grandpa? GRANDPA!" Ash shouted at the vacant TV screen. He did not notice that the others were back, he just wanted his grandpa back.


	3. Chapter 3

Pokemon is owned by Gamefreak/Nintendo and Cartoon Network

Fullmetal Alchemist is owned by Funimation

Naruto is owned by Viz Media

Yu-Gi-Oh! is owned by TXN (TV Tokyo)

Chapter 3

Journey to the Duelist Kingdom

'How did I get into this mess.' Ashton thought to himself. He was not playing Duel Monsters, ever since that battle there was something else on his mind, and his friends, who heard what was up, knew why he was distant. 'I can't believe that grandpa is actually gone. One minute he's right beside us, and the next Butler shows up and uses some sort of weird magic to steal his soul away, but why? What would Maxwell Butler want with me? And could it have something to do with my Millennium puzzle? Well, I'll get grandpa back. I'll beat Butler at his own game. What ever that is?' He thought with determination as he stared out into the city from the schools roof. In a different building there was another having family troubles as well.

"Wonder who this is from?" Naruto questioned after opening up a bag from the mail and saw that it was a videotape. He put it in the VCR and prepared to watch it, who ever sent it to him, he was ready.

"Hey there, big brother. How have you been? I really miss you." A stunning young woman with long black hair said through the pre recorded message.

"Hinata?" The blond said while completely blown away that the girl before him was his sibling.

"I can't believe that it has been six years since we've seen each other." She continued to speak and said that after a short, genuine laugh. "I'll never forget the day mom took me away to live with her." She added and he remembered that day as well.

"Naruto." A younger Hinata said while pressed against the passenger side window of the back.

"Hinata, don't go. Wait!" A younger Naruto said back to the tail end of a car. He remembered crying himself to sleep for a year after that just as Ash did on that day.

"Naruto!" She shouted with tears in her eyes just as his.

"I'm sending you this video just so you don't forget your little sister's face." The older one said causing Naruto to get out of his flashback. "It seems I'm running out of time. I was hoping to see you once more before…well, uh, you understand. By by brother." She said with tears coming into the corners of her eyes.

"Run out of time?" The blond repeated since he knew what that meant, but he still added, "It can't be." In complete disbelief.

"So long. Take care, Naruto" She said and just like that the screen went into snow form. He stayed there and looked at his reflection.

"Hinata…" He said with clenched eyes. Ashton had long since left the tranquility of the schools roof and was almost to the lonely game shop, but as he neared the door he saw something jammed in it.

"Huh? What's this?" He questioned before taking the envelop from its spot. He opened them and saw that there were Duel Monster card backs to him. "It's from Butler." He said, knowing that it could be no one else. He then picked one of the cards and looked at it. "It's an invitation at Duelist Kingdom." He said when he saw a picture of a castle on an island; he look a look at the others, and after looking at them all he decided to see what his friends made of it.

"A tournament at Duelist Kingdom? Isn't that at an island?" May questioned after looking at the cards Ashton brought to school the next morning.

"So, that's where Butler is keeping your grandpa?" Naruto questioned the puzzle wearer. Currently the four were by themselves sitting around one desk which was by a window.

"Probably. The only way to know for sure is to be a contestant. The boat's is going to be leaving in two days." He said while looking at a picture of an old British boat, and read the instructions below.

"But you can't go. It could be dangerous." May said to her friend since she cared highly for the three of them. He knew that she was only doing what a true friend would do, but he needed this.

"I have to go. It's the only clue of rescuing grandpa." He said to the others and stared at the serious expression of Kiba.

"I still can't believe it. Butler used some kind of weird spell to grab your grandpa's soul away, and now he's toying with you. Forcing you to duel in the tournament." Kiba said, disgusted of this man's style while glancing at the five cards on the desk.

"Your right, and without invitations we can't even go there with you." Wheeler said to the first friend he made. "I wish we could help you pal." He added feeling crummy that they couldn't go.

"This is bad." Gardner said, not liking a soul stealing psycho getting another one of their friends. The animal lover of their group saw something interesting on one of the cards.

"Huh? Hey, Ashton, check this out." He said to get their attention while getting a couple of the cards and read them to the others, "According to this card the tournament winner takes the grand prize of three million dollars."

"Three mill?" Naruto questioned.

"So what, Kiba. Who cares about money at a time like this." Ashton said to his friend as he thought the three of them were all for getting his grandfather's soul for it's body.

"Hey, give me that." Naruto said and took the card to his friend's left hand. "Ah, three million." He added when he saw the image on the card. The way he was looking at the card made the grandpa-less one worry.

"I guess Naruto does." He said as he watched his friend.

"Three million in cold cash." He said again, not really paying attention to the others. School was the same, but at the end Naruto headed to the roof. He sat there, leaning against the stone wall that hid the stairwell while looking at the sunset.

"Naruto, what are you doing up here?" Ash wondered since he too came up on the roof again to clear his head, but he was not expecting Naruto to be there. "What's with you?" He added when he saw he had the blonde's attention.

"Aw, nothing. I'm just thinking of a whole lot of stuff." He answered while giving him a vague answer. "Hey, Ash, you do know I care about your old man right?" He questioned as the two of them watched the sun in the distance. "I mean he taught me about the heart of the cards." He added to the first statement.

"Of course I know." He answered back without a second thought.

"I mean it. One way or another I'll help you beat Butler." He said, giving him his word that he will help him out.

"That means a lot to me Naruto. I'm glad we're friends." Ash answered back while walking over to sit by him.

"Remember the first time we met?" The blond questioned to the black.

"I'll never forget it. It was all because of the Millennium puzzle." He said while looking down at the spoken item. "The way grandpa explained it to me the puzzle was originally found in Egypt in some Egyptian ruins. My grandpa gave it to me and kind of dared me to solve it. It was the most incredible thing I've ever seen. As soon as I touched it I knew it was special. I made a wish on the puzzle I asked it to give me a real friend, and I think the puzzle came through for me. That was when I met up with you and Kiba." He told while thinking of the puzzle pieces, the container, and the assembly. "Although you didn't act like my friends at first…" He said as he remembered running after them since they had the puzzle box.

"Aw, do you mean when we were playing keep away with the Millennium Puzzle." Wheeler said in a joking manner, but added in a bit more seriousness, "It was for you, man. We just wanted to toughen you up so you can stand up to the real bullies." The Muto boy knew that, but he didn't need to hear the next statement from Naruto Wheeler. "We were only teasing ya."

"Teasing?" Ash questioned. He remembered shoulder thrusting Kiba in the back causing him to spill the pieces in the hall, and then he watched Naruto pick up the eye piece of the puzzle. "You took a piece of the Millennium puzzle and threw it out the window." He added while remembering the drop sound when it landed in the pool. "And it was I who tried to help you guys out when that bully picked on you." He said and remembered that day well.

"He was a mean one alright." Naruto added as he recalled the guy. Mizuki, a dork that has been left behind for twenty or so years and often took his frustration of that on students.

"What do we do?" Kiba questioned his pal after the both of them got the run around by the steroid man.

"Shh. Stay quiet." Wheeler responded while keeping his body still. Ashton who was trying to find an external way to get to the pool spotted the danger.

"Well, look who just showed up. It's little Ashy. Just in time for me to mop the floor wit these guys." He said with a, gone mad, look in his eyes, and that was on thing that did not go well with Ashton.

"Get back ! Leave them alone!" Ash warned. It was true that he was a docile man, but when something like this goes down: he can't be held accountable for his actions.

"Who's gonna stop me? A little runt like you: I don't think so. Get lost." He said back while not looking away at the two down teens. That was it Ash walked over, ignoring his rambling and stood in between them with his arms in the form of a 'T'.

"I won't let you. These guys are my friends." Ash said with defiance in his eyes. The two looked at him, questioning if they heard him right.

"Ok tough guy, you jumped to the head of the line. Say your prayers, ya runt." Mizuki said with an evil laugh and began pounding, but no matter what he tried Ash kept getting back to his feet and assumed a 'T' stance.

"You stood up for us, Ashton. I'll never forget that. Because of you we got that moron expelled." Naruto said as he recalled that even when he didn't have the strength to stand he still took it for them. "And Kiba and I learned what it was like to have a true friend." He said in an honest tone.

"Well, at least you retrieved the last puzzle piece." Ash said remembering who Naruto swam back down and got the piece that he himself threw down. "If you hadn't done that I could never have solved the Millennium puzzle." He added as he recalled how it felt when he put in the last piece and the memory of the time after:

"I wanted to apologize Ashton, I have been acting like a jerk." A younger version of the blond said to his chum.

"Oh, were you acting?" Ashton's younger self questioned in sarcasm.

"I guess I deserve that one." He said back after a good laugh and then added, "If you ask me I think Kiba and I may have underestimated you." He saw that was something he was baffled about. "You know, Ash, you're a tougher kid then I gave you credit for. Maybe we should hang out more often, what do ya say?" The younger Wheeler said and that brought them up to the present with the two of them still on the roof.

"The truth of the matter is you're the best friend I ever had." Naruto said and he meant it. He and Kiba may have been friends, but that was because of their common need to fight, but Ashton was a true, blue friend.

"Yeah." The black haired one said and then became sad as he remembered the downside of going to the tournament. "It's too bad you can't go with me to rescue grandpa." He said since he often felt stronger when he didn't duel alone.

"Don't worry. Somehow, someway, I promise we'll do it together." Wheeler said with a serious tone.

"Together?" Ash question back with a short gasp.

"Ha, you bet. We're a team, Ashton." He said back and they both knew that much was true between the both of them.

"But how could you go without an invitation?" Ash questioned and wondered of that minor part.

"Hmm?" Naruto said aloud which he knew that if Kiba was there then he would warn Muto that the sound was a bad omen. The two days came by pretty quickly and all the people that were invited were there.

"Attention all duelists, welcome to this event hosted by Industrial Illusions. You received with you're invitation the starchips that will grant you entry into the contest. You are all elite. Invited by us after close observation of your past Duel Monsters contests. You each have a fair and equal chance to win it all comes down to how well you've chosen your cards and how well you play. Now then duelists cross the ocean and enter the Duelist Kingdom." One of the suits on the ship said while looking down at them.

"Present your starchips as you board the vessel." A different guard said while standing by the portable stairwell that led to the boat. They did as they were told until one of them gave them some trouble.

"Hey, you, get out of here. Only official contestants are allowed on board." A third suit said which caused one of the suits, that was guarding the end of the line, to come and see what he could do.

"How can you tell I'm not official?" The voice questioned suspiciously to the suit that was checking them in.

"Because the official duelists aren't trying to sneak onboard through the lower hatches." The suit said while dragging a orange jacketed man with blond hair away.

"What the heck? Naruto?" Ash said after spotting the person. He got out of his space in line and went to see if he can't talk to them.

"Stop your struggling. We're gonna have to throw you out." One of the handlers said while trying to keep a grip on him. The blonde did not like where this was going; besides he still had a job to do.

"No way. I came to duel and I am gonna duel!" He said back to them while still making them work to keep him still. About that time Ashton got there right about that time.

"Leave him alone." The official duelist said to the two. All three saw who voiced his opinion on the show that they were doing.

"Hey, Ashton, " The orange clad one said calmly after the two were done trying to grab him.

"Naruto. What are you doing here, Naruto?" The boy questioned since the two didn't really speak since the time on the roof, so Ash assumed that he just dropped, but he should have known better.

"Did you really think I was gonna let you do this on your own?" The other questioned after a laugh. "Come on help me out." He added after seeing a familiar look in his eye.

"They're distracted. Let's go." May instructed to Kiba, who was looking behind a crate they were using for cover.

"Right." He answered and the two fled deeper into the cargo. They, just like Naruto, was interested in helping him see this through, but they stuck with the cargo instead of the lower hatches. In truth they did not know who was causing the fuss, they were just grateful for the cover.

"He's with me. You got to let him on." Ashton said to the two suits who were still restraining the intruder.

"Only people with a starchip are allowed on board. There are no exceptions. Understand?" The guard restraining the right arm said to the negotiator. That was the answer Ashton was counting on; even though it was gonna cost him a star: he had to.

"But Naruto does have a starchip. Didn't he tell you?" Muto corrected them. This new information started the other three. The one that was really confused was the man in question.

"I do?" He questioned in confusion, while wondering what his partner had in mind. Ash put his hand in his pocket, grabbed one, and presented his fist to all of them.

"See?" He questioned which caused the other two to release the intruder. Wheeler put his hand near the fist, and Ashton dropped the starchip into the open palm. The other three now saw a starchip in the other duelist's hand.

"What's this?" Naruto questioned to his friend. He knew what it was, he was wondering what the purpose was of this game plan.

"According to this card: a starchip is proof that one is a duelist." Ash explained to the three of them while holding up one of the five cards Butler gave away. The puzzle person had a feeling that he was going to need those cards later, so he decided to carry all five with him.

"Hmm? That may be, but all participants are given two starchips. You'll be at a disadvantage." The guard to Naruto's right said, trying for this kid to forget this person even though by the look in his eyes: that'll never happen.

"Maybe, but I rather take that risk than be without my friend when we get to the Duelist Kingdom. I need him." Ashton said to the guard in a polite fashion, since he did not wish to make a scene.

"Ashton…" Wheeler said, once again thankful of having a such a reliable friend. The red tied goons did not know what to do since they have never met anyone like this.

"What do we do?" The guard to the left said to the one on the right. The other pulled out his cell from his vest and decided to call the big man for guidance.

"Mister Butler, we've got a problem, sir." The other informed after dialing in the right number on his phone. As they were doing that the other two of the team was hiding out on the loading dock inside one of the metal crates.

"Whoa." May shouted as the crate they were standing in landed causing her to slip backward.

"Shh." Kiba said with his finger to his lip and holding onto the side of the crate with his other hand.

"Don't you shush, me, Kiba." She started angrily at him. Angry that the gray coated boy was taking this sneaking around so calmly.

"Ok. Pipe down then." He said back to her. The blonde and black half of the team were able to get on board thanks to the silver tongued serpent: Maxwell Butler.

"I'm glad that let you on board, Naruto." Ash said as the two were leaning against a guardrail facing the ocean. The two were surprised that they had room to move despite the crowd.

"Only because you sacrificed one of those starchips of yours for me." He explained to the other. Unknown to them was that one of the various duelists there caught wind of their talk. "But if any of the other players find out we only have one starchip each they could really try to take advantage of us." He added to his first comment.

"Then be quiet about it." Ashton said back, not really worried at all. After hearing the whole thing the eavesdropper REALLY enjoyed the info.

"This whole thing is kinda exciting, isn't it, Ashton?" Wheeler commented while gazing out at the full moon ocean.

"Yeah." The other said back, also marveling at the sight before them. The dropper decided to make an entrance for the two.

"Well, what do we have here?" A voice said, and the voice alone caused the two of them to look away from the ocean, and to the source of the noise. The sight of the person alone got to Naruto as he checked out the pink haired, pink and purple outfitted one.

"Wow." He said during his staring.

"So, you're the Ashton, kid everyone's talking about, huh?" The pink haired one said, mainly looking at the dark haired gent.

"Whoa. Check it out." Naruto nearly shouted as his instincts were starting to get the better of him. She ignored him and walked straight to Ash until there were a couple inches apart.

"But I'm amazed that a scrawny thing like you can beat Edward Kaiba. Your famous ya know." She said to him and stared into his big brown eyes with her jade green eyes.

"Thanks very much…I think." He answered back nervously, and tried to keep his eyes just on her face. Naruto, still taken by her looks, and possibly attitude, tried to get her attention again.

"Hey, miss, I'm a really good friend of the famous Ashton Muto, the Master Duelist. In fact…" He started to say to her, but was interrupted by said cutie in the middle of the second sentence.

"LOOK!" She started which silenced him of her angry tone. "Your either a champ or a chump. Cut this guy loose, he's fashioned challenged, and deserves to be crushed in the games." She continued with the soft voice again. When her message was done she walked away from the two.

"Please, crush me." He said to her. There was a possible double meaning of that, and the young woman knew that, but she stuck with the main meaning.

"I'll crush you all eventually. The name's Sakura." She told them while looking over her shoulder and then continued to walk away. Kiba and May, who got out of the hiding spot and went down to the lower levels of the sip while still hiding. In their hiding spot they were able to watch the whole thing.

"How arrogant. There's no body better at playing Duel Monsters then Ashton." May said after watching the show of the other female. The main thing that she did not like was how close she was standing to the neutral duelist.

"Shh. Quiet. They'll hear you." Kiba warned her after getting back his thinking power after Sakura left.

"I don't care. He's still the best." She said with closed eyes. She was picturing kicking the other girl's butt with fists instead of cards.

"Hey. Is this a joke or what?" A voice shouted out as others were walking around the inside of the ship. "This is a luxury cruiser. I know you have better rooms somewhere." The voice, Wheeler was complaining to yet another suit.

"You again." One of the guards from before said after seeing who it was that was causing the ruckus.

"We cut you a break, and now your causing more trouble." The other one said as the two were once again trying to make him stay still. The two of the last match of the regional's came in and saw the show.

"Do you want to be thrown outta here." The first said, not minding the idea of throwing him completely overboard.

"Huh? Hey, aren't you that kid, Ashton." One of the two finalists said after getting a good look at said person's back of head. Ash turned around and the struggle stopped so the two could see who said that.

"Yes, I am. And your…" He stopped as he wanted his friend to finish the statement.

"Bugsy, and Zaku the dino duelist." The blond said after getting a good look at the black haired dino dork in weird clothes and the purple haired parasite in a green outfit with a shirt that doubled as a neck brace by the looks of things.

"Ha. Your wasting your time with those guys. The private rooms only go to finalists from the last championship. Like us." Zaku said boastfully to the two other duelists. Ashton decided to make a couple of friends and he knew just the right small talk to start with.

"Congratulations on winning the regional's Bugsy." Ash said to the bug brawler.

"It was nothing." He said back, grateful of meeting another person of his work.

"Yeah, I went easy on him…that time." Saurus said in a 'no big deal' way. Naruto was able to get out of the goons grip and added himself to the conversation.

"Oh, yeah. Well, this time Ashton and I are gonna take the tournament, right Ash?" He said proudly and asked for his pal to back him up, and he could tell that he was about to get an answer but the bug-bozo interrupted.

"To tell you the truth winning the last championship didn't feel like much of an achievement. I guess I can't really call myself the champion until I defeat the duelist who beat Kaiba. But I'm sure I'll end up battling you in the big tournament, Ashton. Frankly, I look forward to it." Bugsy said to the victor against the Blue-Eyes White Dragon.

"I look forward to it, too." Ash told him back with a smile. The sore loser saurian spoke his mind after all of that.

"I'm looking forward to some dino demolishon." He said to the two of them, and by then Bugsy decided to mess with the biggest threat's mind a little.

"Let me tell you a little secret. It's something non of the other players know about the games yet." He started, but was interrupted by the Muto boy.

"Isn't that cheating?" He questioned after a gasp of surprise. Underbrush HATED these kind of goody-two shoes, so he decided to add something to let him continue.

"The other players will find out soon enough, but there are new rules on the island that require more strategy." He said to him. As soon as the word, strategy hit the air it was time for Saurus to give them the easiest piece of advice.

"Aw, rules are for wimps . In dueling you either smash your opponent or get smashed yourself. It's either one or the other." He told them bluntly. Neither Ashton or Naruto really cared for his way of battle.

"Strength is good, but you also need to combine them with other types of cards." Naruto said to the devastating dino, paraphrasing something that Ashton once told him.

"Who asked you? Stay outta my way, or I'll stomp you like everyone else." Saurus said while walking away, hating those that give him advice when he was one of the best.

"We'll see who stomps who when we get to the island." Naruto said while trying not to let his anger come to a boil. After reading Hulk comic he now knew never to loose it completely.

"Ignore him. Let's scope out the competition." Underbrush said to them, which the request confused the two before him.

"What do you mean?" Wheeler questioned, forgetting why he was about to get medieval for a moment.

"Check out those chumps." He instructed while pointing behind the two. They followed his lead and they all saw people trading cards and having a good time doing so.

'What's he getting at?' Ashton thought as he saw the images, but listened to what else he had to say.

"They're already trading over there. Players here are swapping cards, and strengthening their decks. Getting ready for the big tournament. It's also a good chance to get a feel for your opponents cards." He explained as the three watched the others trade and talk.

'I bet this is how someone like Bugsy gets so much insight in his opponents strategy.' Ashton though and then saw Wheeler sped over to the trader with his deck in hand.

"Whoa, strong cards. Hey, wanna trade? How bout you? Anybody? Come on, help me out here." Naruto said to the traders while going around them eight times trying to find someone for trading.

"I guess Naruto is trading." Muto said while watching him go. 'Just hope he doesn't toss his favorite warrior to someone else.' He thought as he watched.

"If you've come all this way, and your still trying to improve your deck you've got to be pretty desperate. I'll catch you on the flip side." Underbrush said, thinking that those that trade will be crushed by his pets. Ashton heard that, but believed that a duelist of his rank may say things like that, but nothing further. Zaku on the other hand was walking to his room when he heard and saw a disagreement.

"This is truly, truly outrageous. You expect a lady like me to stay in this dump without even a shower." Sakura said while forcing one of the suits to start walking backward.

"Uh…rules are rules ma`am. There's nothing I can do." The suit said to her, trying to keep her calm. After marriage the man knew that the first thing to go when a woman was upset was a man's favorite chime set.

"Call your superior. Get him on the phone: right now." She said back, not giving a rat's tail of their rules. That was when Zaku decided to get a better look at the one that was causing trouble.

"Keep acting like that and they'll throw you off the boat." He said to her, making her change targets to himself which was just fine for the suit.

"Who do you think you are?" She questioned since she was never a fan of someone telling her that sort of stuff.

"A champion with a luxury room." He said to her boastfully.

"Really? Could I see it?" She questioned to him with a hand over her mouth. The hand was guarding the sly smile on her face as she knew what to do to him.

"You bet. Come check it out." He said back with a blush also thinking of what to do when the two enter his room. As that was going on Kiba and May were still outside on deck: trying to stay warm, and out of sight.

"May, what are you doing? Stay down or we're gonna get busted." Kiba said popping his head from behind an object to see the brown haired girl on deck.

"I'm freezing out here. I can't sit still." She said back while, right now, not liking the outfit of her choice. Her comment gave room for the dog lover to say something irritating.

"In another few hours the sun will rise." He said back while standing all the way up, and pointing to the ocean.

"That's not funny, Kiba." She said back to her friend, who was back to kneeling, while getting angry from that remark made her feel fine from the cold for a while. In her angered state she did not hear one of the doors open, but the other did.

"Get down." He issued and she did so while they hid a person came out, a person that she knew of.

"Hey, look, isn't that Gary?" May questioned when she got a good look of the red head in white sweater, and blue jeans looking out at the sea.

"Gary? Gary from school?" Kiba questioned while surfacing to see May, and looked into her eyes which told him that she wasn't lying.

"Yeah, what's he doing here?" She said and questioned to the other.

"Uh…I guess Butler invited him to the contest too." They gray jacketed one guessed. As those two were trying to figure out what their friend was doing here another person was making friends with a pink haired contestants.

"So, what do you think of my cool digs?" Zaku said once he and Sakura got to the room, and was sitting on the couch they provided. She looked around at the fancy wooden walls and the candles on the wall, and loved it all.

"It's beautiful. You must be quite a strong card player." She said to him, boosting his already unbearable ego, which she knew were most guys downfalls.

"I am." He admitted to her, not knowing that he was falling for her trap, not her personally.

"Really? I love Duel Monsters. How bout we play a game?" She said and offered to him while putting her bag on the floor and headed for the chair across from him.

"Ha! Who do you think you're talking to? There's no way you can beat me." He said basing his claim solely by gender.

"Please let me try?" She offered in a sweet voice.

"You'd never win." He said back, knowing that no girl was going to beat him.

"Tell you what. If you win I'll give you a kiss." She said still sweetly, and knew that that offer would get him no problem mainly due to the blush on his face. As they were doing that Naruto and Ashton had gone outside, away from the crowd of people for a while.

"Ashton, I got some good card tradin` in." Wheeler said while looking at his new cards. The other, who loved the game, had to see the new recruits for his team.

"Hey, let me see `im." He said and Naruto presented the new five. "Salamandra, Kuai with Chain, Baby Dragon, and Shield and Sword - great." Ash said as he saw the cards from his right to left. "With these new cards combined with your other monsters you'll have a really strong deck." Ash added, happy that his friend got some good cards, but still hoped that the swordsman was still in his deck.

"All right. So, now, I'm ready to win every duel I play." Naruto said proudly as he looked at the new guys. Ash admired his friend's confidence, but he, himself, still needed to level that off.

"I'm afraid you're gonna find out that it's a bit harder than that, Naruto." He started while opening the millennium case, a case that he used to house a few unique cards, and some that may help other's decks. "Here. Add this to your deck. It could be helpful in a tight spot." He said after taking off the lid and grabbed the right card for someone like Naruto.

"Thanks. I'll take it. I can't get over how you're always helping me out." Naruto said after generously accepting the new card. He looked at it and read the name at the top: Time Wizard.

"Ah, we meet again." A familiar, and annoying, voice said from behind Ashton. The two looked at the door frame and saw that it was Bugsy Underbrush.

"Oh, Bugsy." Ashton said as he saw the second best card champion enter the small chunk of deck they were at. As for Saurus he was about to learn a very good lesson: never bet against women.

"Ok then, cut the cards." Sakura said to the dino deviant after shuffling a deck and sliding it on the table between them.

"Playing with your deck, huh?" Zaku challenged and then put his and on top of the deck, and cut then near the middle of the pile.

'This'll be a snap.' He thought as he shuffled her deck. The pink haired one had something different on her mind.

'This'll blow his mind just like all the others.' She watched and then saw that he was done with his attempt.

"What if you win?" He asked her since that thought was bugging him, even though he would never admit it.

"If I win you agree to clear out of the room for the rest of the trip, okay?" She offered to him, and knew that his ego would never allow him to say no.

"Clear out?" He questioned and then quickly added, "I'm not gonna lose you got a deal." He placed the deck on the table and waited for her to do something.

"The first card is: Shadow of Eyes." She said with her own eyes closed. He drew the first card and couldn't believe his own eyes.

"How'd you do that?" He questioned when the card he drew was the card she said.

"The second card is: Harpie Lady. Then: Elegant Egotist, followed by: Cyber Shield." She said as he tossed out the same cards in the exact same order.

"Oh, man, she's right again." He said as he stared at the small pile before him. 'I can't believe that she got that spiked armor one right, too.' He thought and knew that he was toast.

"This is my own card technique. I always know what cards I have, and can pick any one I like at anytime. So go ahead and deal them Zaku." She explained to him and enjoyed the freaked out look of his, a sure sign that her stunt worked on him.

"I'm in trouble, aren't I?" He asked her, and got a smirk as his answer, so he knew that he was beat. Bugsy on the other hand was chatting with the two.

"Ah, the evening winds sure feel nice." Bugsy said while facing the ocean and then turned around to the main problem: Ashton Muto. "So, did you trade for any good cards, Ashton?" He questioned the duelist.

"Naw, not this time. I'm just going to duel with the cards I brought along with me." Ashton explained while having one hand on his puzzle box.

"I figured as much." He began and saw the box, and the way his hand was on top of it. "You used the Exodia cards in your duel with Kaiba, right? Those are the strongest cards of them all." He added as he neared the climax of his mission against Ashton.

"And really rare." Ash added, grateful of meeting an Exodia enthusiast.

"Could I possibly…see those legendary cards." Underbrush said while using a faux fan-boy voice. Ash did not see the harm since he believed that anyone that got this far in life knew to respect ALL cards not just his own.

"I don't see why not. Just be careful with them. Okay?" He said and warned to the other duelist. He then dug the cards out from the container, and turned to the fellow duelist with them in hand. "Here." He said to him. Bugsy took them in his hands and gazed at the five cards involving a rusted gold colored beast.

"So, these are the cards to summon Exodia." He said while looking at them. "For a long time I've been trying to come up with some kind of strategy to finally beat these cards, but I couldn't come up with anything. Until just this moment." He informed the two, and then looked at them before walking over to the edge of the boat. "Say good-bye to Exodia!" He exclaimed as he let the winds take them to the oceans surface.

"NO!" Ash exclaimed as he got to the guardrail, but too late.

"Now there's no one that can challenge me." Bugsy said with a sick laugh while walking away. At first Naruto watched as the cards drifted, but he changed targets when he heard that laugh.

"Why you…" Wheeler threatened and took a few steps at him while Ashton tried to follow the flowing cards.

"My cards!" Ashton said which caused Naruto to stop and look at his friend. "Those were the Exodia cards my grandpa gave me." He said as he watched them leave him.

"I'll get `em." Wheeler said after stuffing his deck into his deep front pocket, and jumped overboard.

"Naruto, don't." Ashton warned him, but was ignored. The blonde hit the water, and did not surface right away. "Where are you, Naruto?" Ash questioned the sea, and was answered when he surfaced.

"I promise, you, I'll get them, Ashton." He said and tried to look for the cards.

"Naruto, listen they aren't worth drowning over." Ash said to him. Ashton may have had a love for the game of Duel Monsters, but his friends came before that passion.

"Don't sweat it, Ash." He answered back and saw a card float by his face. "Look, there, I got one of them." He said as he grabbed one of five.

"Just swim back to the ship." Ash ordered to his friend.

"No way. At least this time there's something I can do to help someone I care about." He answered back before his head was pushed under the ocean's surface for a moment. "Current sure is strong though. It's hard to fight, but if I punk out now then who's gonna help my sister Hinata." He said to himself as he tried to swim, find the cards, and stay above water at the same time. That was when images of her recording came into his mind. "Just three more now." He said when he got the second card., but then a wave caused by the boat caught him off guard and went further away.

"Naruto." Ash said, and dove in after him. The boy was raised not to do such a thing unless there is an emergency and he knew friends in danger qualified. The black haired youth dove in. "Hang in there Naruto, I'm coming." He said after spotting the mound of yellow hair and swam in that direction. He stopped in front of him and saw the cards, and the winded duelist.

"Hey, Ashton, just three more." He said and that was when his legs started to give.

"Naruto." Ash said and dove in after him, grabbed his wrist, and brought him back to surface. There the two stayed there, not sure what to due, except float.

"Ashton." May shouted down at them. She mainly went over to the guardrail for some fresh air, since someone else popped a bubble, but she was not expecting to see her two friends overboard.

"Are you, okay?" Kiba questioned when he saw them, after following May, so no one saw her. When he saw the two in danger he threw down an old rope latter to the waterlogged teens.

"Grab a hold." My shouted down.

"Hurry." Kiba added, since the two of them were still trespassing. Ash looked up the latter and saw his two friends.

"May. Kiba." He then began climbing the latter with Naruto on his shoulder, but as they were coming in Saurus was going out.

"Get out loser!" Sakura said as she threw Zaku out of HER room along with his deck, and bag. "And thanks for the room, Zaku." She said calmly while leaving an angered dino dreamer. At the end of the latter the four were together again.

"That was close. I'm sure glad you guys showed up. Really glad!" Ashton said to the two, and was grateful that he had friends like them.

"We're a team. We all stick together." May said, comforting the main invited person of this contest.

"We'll always watch your back." Kiba added while standing up, and saw that the two were just fine.

"Thanks a lot, you guys." Ash said to his friends, but Naruto did not feel that he deserved the kind one's words: not this time.

"I'm sorry, Ashton." Naruto began, and heard a 'huh' from the boy in question so he went into explanation, "I failed. I only found two of your cards."

"It's okay, Naruto." Ash said back at his friend. He did not like the reaction he got from the puzzle wearer.

"It's not okay! It's always this way with me." He told them and then added a bit more of his past. "I'm never able to help anybody. Not even my own sister: Hinata." The others were in awe of finding out about a sister of Naruto.

"Hinata?" Ash questioned.

"Really? You have a sister, Naruto." May questioned as well, wanting to know more about her friend.

"Yeah, our parents divorced years ago when we were kids. She lives far away with my mother. My sister's had really bad eyes since she was born. Eventually, she'll go blind." He said to them and saw that the others understood.

"I'm sorry." Ashton whispered to his friend, but Wheeler heard him.

"Thanks, Ash. She sent me a message." He told them and recalled the main piece.

"I was hoping to see you one last time." That piece broke him inside, but he continued what else it said.

"The doctors told her that the time has come. Soon her eyes will be impossible to repair even with surgery, but there are specialists that could perform an operation now before it's too late. They could save her eyesight, but there's no way I can pay for the operation. I have to win for her." He said to them and could tell that the others were touched but there was one last thing he needed to add, "Winning in the Duelist Kingdom, and getting the prize money. Is the only way I can help Hinata." The two were soon greeted by the sun rise, the promise of a new day. The four journeyed to the tip of the bow of the ship.

"We'll both do our best, Naruto." Ashton said as the wind messed with his already messy hair. "You for your sister, and me for my grandpa." He added to him, and knew that the others agreed with him.

"That's right, we'll do this together." May said, siding with Ashton. Kiba and Naruto just stared out with the others, all not hearing or noticing a chopper.

"Look, the island." Kiba said to the others, grateful of getting onto dry land soon.

"That's the Duelist Kingdom." Ash said proudly as he too saw their destination. "That's it, we're almost there." He added as anxiety was beginning to take hold of him. Unknown to all of them was that there was a fifth one there and he had a message.

'Your going down first, Bugsy Underbrush.'


	4. Chapter 4

Pokemon is owned by Gamefreak/Nintendo and Cartoon Network

Fullmetal Alchemist is owned by Funimation

Naruto is owned by Viz Media

Yu-Gi-Oh! is owned by TXN (TV Tokyo)

Chapter 4

Into the hornet's nest

The team of Ashton Motto, Naruto Wheeler, May Gardner, and Kiba Taylor were at the bow of the ship watching as their target was slowly approaching them. "We're here, but man, Duelist Kingdom is a pretty big place, Ashton. Finding your grandpa is not going to be easy." Naruto said to his old friend, stating what they all already knew.

"Well, we got to start somewhere." Ash said back to him, trying to put a positive spin on their current problem. By this time the large white boat had slowly pulled into port, and when it got to the port there was already several people readying the moveable stairwell and to make sure everyone arrived safely.

"Whoa! Check out the suits." The blonde man stated as he and the others were at the stairwell that led to the island. As soon as his fighting partner said that remark Kiba grew nervous.

"Attention all Duelists, please disembark in an orderly fashion." One of the workers said through the PA system. The word 'duelist' made the brown haired youth a bit more nervous, so nervous that he decided to tell the female of their team his plan to avoid this.

"Hey, May, what if one of those security dorks find out we're both stowaways. We ought to cut our losses and swim back." He said to her. In that instant the young woman recalled how cold she was on deck, and she had a feeling that the ocean was just as cold if not colder, so she decided to cut him off right there.

"We're in the middle of nowhere, moron. If you can try and act NORMAL for once we'll be okay." She said back to him while emphasizing 'normal' since she knew that he had a lousy time trying to play anything low-key. The four politely followed the path, and didn't interrupt the flow.

'I can do this.' The canine enthusiast thought when it was his turn to walk down the path. 'Just act cool. Act cool. Joe Cool, that's me.' Kiba thought as he walked down in a military marching style, and at first he thought that he was going to make it until a voice from behind stopped him.

"Hey, you." It was one of Maxwell's workers that spoke to him. In that instant the gray coated teen stopped dead in his tracks. When the others didn't hear any footsteps behind May they too stopped and glanced around. "Don't be so nervous. You guys are our guest here." The same worker said to him, and that caused the teen to mentally sigh in relief.

"That's right." Kiba said before turning on his heel to face the speaker and added, "I'm your guest." He gave a bow and then fled to the other three.

'Must be first tournament jitters.' The man thought before returning to his duty. The four huddled together after getting some distance from the people that were still getting off.

"I think I just had a heart attack." Kiba informed the others after catching his breath over the 'keep it cool' act he tried.

"Way to play it cool, Kiba. That wasn't suspicious at all." May said back to him while slyly looking back at the guard that almost busted his cover. Naruto was so excited that they had made it that he just had to shout about it.

"ALL RIGHT! Every single one of us made it safe and-achoooo." The blonde said while making a big sneeze; the female was grateful that she got out of the way of the spray. As soon as he stood straight up after the sneeze the young Motto knew that it was his fault.

"You would never have caught that cold if it wasn't for Bugsy." Ash said to his pal and then recalled the incident that happened a few hours ago.

"Say good bye to Exodia!" Bugsy said in the flashback while throwing them overboard.

"My cards." The few hours younger Ashton shouted while looking at the brown backs fall to the sea. "Those were the Exodia cards that my grandpa gave me." He added while gripping the railing.

"I'll get `em." The orange jacketed teen leapt in without a second thought.

"Naruto, don't." Ashton of old said as he watched the sneakers of his comrade go into the sea.

"Speaking of our wormy friend." The savior of two out of three cards started to say while rubbing his nose added, "Looks like he just slithered his way off of the boat, and is already looking to start some trouble." The group saw the purple haired sneak over behind them staring at them. "That sleazebag, I would love to wipe that smirk off his face." The blonde added and the others nodded in agreement; all but one.

'I hate Bugsy for what he had done, and as much as I would love to follow Naruto's advice, but we don't have time for Bugsy right now.' Ash thought as he kept a steady gaze on the deceiver.

'Let's get this over with.' Tabitha thought as he looked at the kids before him. "Welcome, all duelists. Please, follow the stairs to meet your host." The head guard said to them while gesturing to the castle behind him, and the long line of stairs.

"That castle has to belong to Butler." Ash said to the others as he looked at the rather large stone structure.

"Then what are we waiten for?" Wheeler questioned to the rest of their group. The four and several others walked up the stairs, but as they did May spotted something familiar in the thick woods around the stairs.

"Huh? What's that?" Gardner questioned aloud at a figure by some trees. When she said that statement her friends stopped around her.

"Huh? What is it, May? What do you see?" Ash questioned, worried about this friend, as he does with all of his friends.

"It looked like - Gary?" She answered him while pointing. She knew that the last word came out as a question she was certain over what she had seen.

"Gary? From school?" The heir to the game shop questioned. He did not want it to sound insulting, but as far as he knew Gary wasn't into Duel Monsters like they were. Still interested if what was said was true he followed where she was pointing, and saw nothing.

"Again with Gary, May." Kiba said to her since she said the same thing back on the boat in the dead of night.

"Where is he, May?" Naruto questioned to her since as far as he could tell there was nothing out there, but bushes and trees. She did not know what her friend meant, so she looked back at the spot, but just as they did saw no one down there.

"That's two times that I've seen him now, but he's not there anymore." She said to them, confessing to the two others that she saw him before now. "Maybe it's all in my head?" She questioned to them even though this was not the time nor the place to doubt her eyes.

"Come on, we're on a rescue mission, remember?" The canine kid said to her before walking on the beaten path. As she followed his lead the person that she pointed out came from behind a tree that he was using as cover to watch the others walk up to the castle.

'Rescue mission?' The mystery man thought after hearing what Kiba had to say. Eventually the whole lot of Duelists made it around the front entrance. There were those that they had meat such as Sakura Valentine, Bugsy Underbrush, and Zaku Saurus.

"Hey check it out it's Bugsy and Zaku along with Haku Tsunami the third-ranked duelist." One of the participants said as he spotted three big guns in the crowd. "I mean these are some of the best duelists in the world! But where's the world champion, Edward Kaiba?" The kid added to his boat buddy.

"From what I heard on the boat it seems he was beaten on his own turf, by some kid." The boat buddy said which the person that was listening to them could not believe what he had just heard.

"NO WAY! I thought Kaiba was the best." The eavesdropper said to the two.

"Not anymore." The one that heard it through the grapevine said back to him. This conversation was over heard by the friend of the victor of that battle. When he looked at Ash and saw that he was staring at the second floor balcony with so much focus he was blocking everything else out, he decided to nudge him so he heard the last part of the conversation.

"Then in that case the one that we have to beat is a kid that calls himself Ashton." A fourth one said since he heard the same rumor as well. The three others looked at the source of their friendship who was blushing at the sudden attention.

"Attention, please gather around." The head of the guards said after going into the castle and making his way to the second floor balcony while the contestants were conversing. "Your benevolent host is anxious to greet you all." He said to them and then glanced behind him to see the man in the white suit coming at the stone balcony.

"Boy, what I wouldn't give to get just five minutes alone with that guy." Naruto said once the man that they were going after stood above them with an over confident smirk on his face. While he stood there the group could only remember what had happened earlier.

"When next we duel we shall play for far higher stakes." The previous encountered faded haired man said to the one he was after. "You see, I have found - given the proper incentive: ANYONE can be made to play my game." He added after revealing a golden eye. Just then a beam came out of the television and absorbed the elder's soul.

"Ashton." Sarutobi said after realizing that his own soul had been pulled out of his body and was being dragged to some place foreign.

"Grandpa!" The grandson shouted out to the snowing in screen. With that thought ending the current Ashton only had a constant thought running through his head.

'I'm not leaving this island until I rescue my grandpa's soul, no matter what Butler throws at me.' Ounce that that was done he decided to listen to the faded in hair color man.

"Greetings Duelists. I am Maxwell Butler. It is my great honor and privilege to welcome you all to the Duelist Kingdom. You stand before me the world's greatest duelists, but come tournament's end only one shall be crowned King of Games. I implore you all to assemble your dueling decks with care, with creativity, and with cunning for this tournament will test your skills like never before." He said to them, almost throwing them off their game before the match had even begun.

'I just hope my deck is strong enough.' Ashton along with several others thought as they stared at the decks that they had made on the boat ride here. Not missing a beat Butler continued to speak to them.

"I shall now explain the rules of this contest." He said to them forcing everyone's eyes back to him. "All duels will be played with Duel Monsters cards. Life points will begin 2000, and direct attacks against the players are forbidden." He informed them and everyone seemed to be okay with those rules so he went on. "To track your progress in the tournament you each have been given a dueling glove. You've also been given two precious Star Chips. You must wager these Star Chips in each duel you compete in to advance to the final level of competition for a chance at the three million dollar prize you must win ten Star Chips. Ten Star Chips will admit you into my castle where you will face me in one final duel." The graying haired man said while showing the two items to them.

'If grandpa's here I bet dueling glove that he's hidden away in that castle, but I'll never be able to get in with all the guards around. We're just going to have to win enough Star Chips to get inside.' Ashton thought while another part of his mind was thinking of something else, 'Since Naruto and I each have one Star Chip that means our first duel is also our last duel if we're not careful.' The raven haired youth knew that the blonde brawler was all for it when he clutched his only Star Chip into his fist.

"This will be a tournament unlike anything that you have ever experienced. State-of-the-art dueling arena's cover this entire island, and intriguing new dueling rules will be in effect. I could tell you what these new rules are, but what fun would that be. You'll discover them as you compete, or you won't last very long. Remember: play boldly, think strategically, and duel mercilessly. You have one full hour to prepare both your cards and yourselves. When the sky lights up with fireworks the duels will begin." He said to them, once again trying to upset some that seem to be beginners.

"Now that's what I like to hear, unknown rules that will work on my favor." One of the contests said aloud not noticing that one of them had a 'know it all' expression behind a pair of glasses. At first Butler was going to leave, but he decided to add one other thing.

"Before you all leave to find the perfect spot to duel I am going to tell you one thing." He said to the contestants, and those that were starting to leave turned around at the host. "This tournament will be fought battle-royal style, and end in 48 hours. At that time any duelist with less then ten Star Chips will be considered a loser and deported from the island. So, best of luck." He then turned back into the castle now knowing that most of them were starting to feel the pressure. 'The duelists have arrived. Ashton has taken the bait, and the games are about to begin. Everything goes according to plan.' He thought to himself and then added, 'If Ashton REALLY wants to duel me, he'll have to fight his way through all those others.' Outside his mind, and the castle the hero was thinking of something similar.

'I gotta win my way into that castle, I just gotta, so hang in there grandpa soon I'll break Butler's strange Shadow Powers.' After that thought the four, along with everyone else leaves the castle and goes exploring the landscape. As they did that a thought was eating away at the orange clothed boy.

"Ashton, I don't know if I can win this thing. I mean I already put you at a disadvantage, so maybe you should have your Star Chip back." The teen said to his friend and was about to hand it back until the classmate took a firm grasp on his wrist.

"Naw, you keep it. You're little sister is counting on you to win the tournament's prize money for her." Ash explained to his friend before releasing Naruto's wrist, and in truth the young Wheeler was touched that his friend had such a big heart.

"Thanks man." He said back to the Motto, and this transaction as seen by the other half which allowed May to say something encouraging as well.

"You can do it. You just got to steer clear of the more experienced duelists first." May said and the fourth one saw where this was going and decided to help his buddy out too.

"Yeah. It's just a matter of working your way up." Kiba said to Naruto, and prayed that he did not take it as an insult on the low level of skills that he has learned from his teacher.

"Thanks, you guys." Naruto said to the both of them. He was truly glad to have friends that always had his back. "Well, Ashton, between your grandpa and my sister we don't have any room for mistakes." The bold one said after he and the other two looked to the founder of their friendship.

"Right." The grandson said to the brother. A little after their team meeting they all heard several explosions skyward.

"The fireworks! It's starting." May exclaimed when she saw the puffs of smoke.

"Let's do it!" Ashton exclaimed after hearing what his female friend just said to him. The four of them began walking around with no particular direction in mind.

"So, what`cha plan Ashton?" Naruto questioned thirty minutes into their walk. He knew that by now all of the duelists were in deeper, or harder to reach locations to challenge them from where they were, but he knew that the leader had a plan.

"Well I might as well stick with Bugsy." He answered the other contestant, and added, "After all we do have a score to settle." The others knew what he meant and the other tournament member was happy that he said that.

"I was hoping you'd say that." Wheeler exclaimed with a big grin on his face. The other two knew had a feeling that would be the first one to fall after that stunt he pulled.

"Isn't that him?" Gardner questioned while looking at the end of the path that they were on. The three males of her group saw that it really was him.

"Bugsy!" Ash shouted to the deceiver, but instead of sticking around for them he chose the right lane of the fork in the road. The team did nothing but watch him run off.

"Hey, wait up you little geek." Kiba shouted to him but had a feeling that his comment didn't reach the creeps ears due to his strange laugh.

I can't believe it - Bugsy's running away." Naruto shouted to the others. The teen did not understand it due to the fact that they all, he especially, knew that the secret weapon was gone. Not bothered by the cowardly move Ashton ran after him, taking the path to the right as well. "Hey, wait up, Ash." Wheeler said when he saw that the former Exodia holder had taken off into the forest path.

"Ugh! Where the shell are all these moths coming from?" Kiba questioned as what felt like an army of tan tinted flying insects flew into their line of sight.

"Gross! They are disgusting." May added to her friend's remark. Unlike a fellow classmate who can't handle ANY bug being around her she was okay with them, but these were to many to fast in her opinion.

"He's fast for a small guy." The young Taylor said after he realized that Bugsy was still a ways away from them.

"Maybe your just slow for a big guy." May criticized to him, but even with her eyes closed and her hands on her head she had a feeling that all of them were running a little slower then normal. She chalked it up to the standing around they did at the ship's bow.

"We're never gonna catch `im." Naruto said, changing the subject of speed to their target. "As long as the whole island's in balance he'll keep running all day." He added to his first statement. The others knew that their friend meant the path that they were on since the exposed path didn't seem to have a pebble out of place let alone a man made pothole.

'What's Underbrush up to? He's wanted a duel with me ever since we met on the boat, so what's he running for?' Ash thought to himself and then when he saw the insects sill in the sky and the fact that they were chasing a man the specializes in insect cards it all clicked. 'Wait a minute.' He thought to himself and questioned aloud to the others, "What did he say on the boat?" With that question said he recalled his encounter with those two while his novice friend was gaining cards.

"Everyone will soon learn that there are new rules on the island that require more strategy." Bugsy's past self said to the past Ashton, and after that his mind came back to the present while still running.

'It must have something to do with the new rules.' Motto thought after recalling that sentence. 'So, I better figure it out, and fast.' He thought with determination as he and the others finally left the forest path and wound up in a large clearing.

"There he is." Naruto said when they were just at the border of entering the meadow area.

"Welcome, said the spider to the fly. You flew right into my trap, and because of that I challenge you to a duel." Bugsy said while pointing an accusing finger at the leader of the four. He was proud over what he had done before this match.

"It's time you answer for what you did on the boat Bugsy." Ash demanded since he too remembered that moment. Just like with Kaiba and Butler an unknown power came over him.

"All right, Bugsy it's time to find out if your as good at dueling as you are at running away." The new voice said to the deceiver. The bug brawler, not noticing the severe change in demeanor, still believed that he was going to crush the new guy.

"Was I simply running away? Or cleverly weaving you into my web." Bugsy said with that same nearly psychotic smirk on his face.

"It's time to duel." 'Ashton' said back to him, accepting his invitation. This caused the other to start cackling about what he just said.

"As you wish!" The insect inspector shouted out and just like that the ground began to tremble.

"It's an earthquake!" Kiba shouted out before moving his feet into a stance he prayed would keep him up. The four of them heard the opponent laughing at their antics during the shaking.

"What have you done?" The accepter questioned to the challenger since he wondered what was so funny this time. After a while Kiba saw that a section of the meadow was beginning to open by steel.

"Whoa! Check it out guys the whole island is transforming." He shouted while pointing to that spot. He knew that he didn't know that the island itself was changing, but he had a feeling the if this sort of thing was happening before a duel then a lot of places were doing this very thing too.

"It's gigantic!" The female exclaimed after she and the others saw a large mechanical platform stand behind Bugsy.

"Man! These aren't going to be like the duels back home." Naruto added after seeing that the machine sprouted out four columns one on each corner of the mechanical platform.

"You've just stepped into a hornet's nest, AND THERE'S NO WAY OUT!" The annoying insect shouted out to them, practically proclaiming his victory already.

"What is that?" 'Ash' questioned after seeing the device and realizing that it was similar to Edward's holo-device.

"These giant arenas must be set up all over the island." Naruto said and was slowly getting why they were transported to this large island.

"I'll just meet you on the field." Bugsy said calmly and raced to the red platform which went up as soon as he set his bag down. Their friend followed the same style, but chose the blue one.

"I don't like this. Bugsy's a little too cocky." Naruto said while both platforms were at the top of the towers. The two of them shuffled their own decks and placed them on the lower right hand corner of the electronic mat before them, but while that was going on Bugsy noticed something that would work in his favor.

"I noticed that you have just one Star Chip, Ashton. I guess that means I'll have the pleasure of eliminating you from the tournament." He said proudly and then moved his glove to show that he had two Star Chips before adding, "Once your gone everyone else's Chip's will be easy pickings." The man in Ashton's skin saw the overconfidence in his opponents, and knew how to use that to his advantage.

"Not if I take your two first." He shouted out to the green clad man. He did not want this particular duelist on this island any more than he already had been.

"What?!" Bugsy shouted back wondering if he had heard right.

"This'll be an all or nothing match for the both of us." The hero clarified to the cheat.

"HA! Why should I risk BOTH my Star Chips when you only have ONE." The insectoid questioned, not knowing that there was a tiny part of him that was already starting not to like where this was going until 'Ashton' added.

"Because I have something else I think you want." The blue jacketed one started to say before picking up his deck and presented it to the cheat while adding, "My whole Duel Monsters deck." After hearing that the tiny part within was fine for challenging the upstart.

"So, you'd risk your grandpa's deck, fine with me. Winning all your cards will be an easy way to exterminate you once and for all." He said to that offer while thinking, 'Since I'm gonna get those cards I shouldn't have thrown Exodia any in the first place.' The heroes friends were a little worried over what was said.

"Exterminate?" May questioned and did not want their journey to end this early, and especially by this weirdo.

"Swat that little twerp like a mosquito." Naruto shouted out to his friend, not phased one bit over what they said since he knew his pal was going to win. Unknown to the five that were in the meadow several other duelists, who decided to go looking around the forest, saw a dueling arena, and decided to get a closer look.

"Whoa! Sounds like a duel is about to start over there." One of the duelists said to two others. The trio got to the edge to get a better look at what was going on.

"That's Bugsy Underbrush, but who's the other guy?" A purple shirted duelist questioned. Fortunately for them the another participant heard them, and with a smile decided to fill them in.

"That guy is Ashton Motto. He beat Kaiba, and I happen to be his best friend - Naruto Wheeler. These two over here, well, at first they were trespassers, but Ashton and I now call them our funny sidekicks." The bold entry said while turning to face the spectators. After hearing that they were considered sidekicks Kiba and May practically fell over.

"I thought I wouldn't be seeing a Bugsy-Ashton match-up till the finals." One of the onlookers said while looking at the two in question.

"Bugsy's a regional champ, no need guy's got a chance against him." Another person said since he adored the regional champ, and believed that his idol could never fall. The words that were said were heard fell to the two brawlers which only served to fuel that big ego of Underbrush.

"Well, Ashton, my adoring public is waiting, so we should begin." Bugsy said to the other as the field in between them was starting to show them their battle field.

"DUEL!" They both shouted and just like that the match begun.

"Let's see how you like my Killer Needle." The champion of the region said after drawing one card and placing an insect that seemed to be bee creature. 'Ashton' drew a card and then looked on the screen before him and saw that the creatures points were: 1200 attack power and 1000 defense power, so he knew what to do.

"You'll have to get through my Mammoth Graveyard first." The raven haired man said before placing his card on the board, and just like with the insect a hologram of the skeleton appeared. "This massive monster will match your annoying insect point for point." He said when the hologram was whole, and he knew he was right even though his defense was only 800 his attack power was equal with Bugsy's beast 1200. "Attack!" The mammoth man said and just like that the skeletal structure charged straight ahead.

"Killer Needle let's show the mammoth your stinger - ATTACK!" The insect class did as it was told and went in tail first, but before the tusk could land a blow the stinger nailed the elephant like frame's face first.

"NO!" The second card player shouted in disbelief as he watched Mammoth Graveyard disappear after the confrontation.

"Gone after one sting, he must be allergic." Bugsy said in praise as he saw that his insect came out on top.

'I don't get it. Both creatures were evenly matched, It should have been a stalemate.' Ashton thought and thought about placing his defeated card into the graveyard pile, but he decided to wait a while. The insect lover saw the surprised look on his enemy's face, but the regional champ didn't mind explaining the secret to his success.

"Have you begun to figure out yet why I led you all the way to this forest area?" He started to say and quickly added, "If you just look around then you will see that this area is an exact replica of our surrounding environment. One part Wasteland and one part Forest, and who thrives in the forest - bugs. The strongest, most powerful insects rule the forests, so as long as I play my bugs in the forest area I get a field power bonus." He explained to them in a long winded style which caused the three to think of one thing.

'Enough with your love story. We need more action.' The three of them knew that if Ashton could stomach this guy then they should at least try.

"I guess you just weren't listening when Butler that this tournament would have exciting new surprises in store for us. Maybe if you were smart enough to steal the tournament secret new rules like I did you'll be getting a field power bonus instead of me." He said in a grand standing style. 'Ashton' looked at the gauge and saw that the score went from 1200 to 1560.

"He cheated! He led us here because he knew he'd have an unfair advantage." Naruto said since the one thing that got under his skin was a cheat, of any kind.

'If only these fools knew the truth. That Butler told me of this rule.' Bugsy thought it himself, ignoring the peanut gallery. 'Despite the 80% forest and 20% Wasteland all of my insects will continue to gain a 30% increase for their attack and defense.' He added to his earlier thought, he only used the word stole to impress his fans, and he decided to please the masses even more. "Go ahead call me a cheater. You're all just angry that you didn't swipe the rules yourselves, and because you didn't little Ashton is about to get stung." He said aloud and pointed a finger at who he thought was the loser, but to his surprise the 'victim' was laughing. "What?! How could you be laughing?" He demanded with a drooping finger.

"Because take a look at your ferocious Killer Needle now." He challenged after his small laughing fit.

"What!" Bugsy shouted as he watched his insect glow bright white and then blowup. "Oh-no, my monster! What have you done with my monster!" He shouted in anger before looking at the board. To his left was the score of his fallen Killer Needle: 1560 attack power and 1300 defense power, but what startled him was what it said for Mammoth Graveyard: 1560 attack power and 1040 defense power. 'This makes no sense. My creature was super charged by the field power bonus, but according to this Ashton's creature somehow became just as powerful.' He thought as he stared at the score in anger.

"Looks like my mammoth got a field power bonus from the Wasteland just like your bugs do from the Forest." 'Ashton' announced in victory with a finger at Bugsy after putting his dinosaur class creature to the graveyard pile.

"The field point advantage was supposed to me mine alone." Underbrush shouted after a growl of anger for his friend. The millennium medallion man knew that it was his turn to explain himself.

"I kept wondering about something on the boat ride here Bugsy. Why were we traveling to some remote island just to duel, but as soon as I saw this holographic display grid it all came together. Every monster has a type of field is does best on; kind of like a home field advantage, and what makes this island so special is that it contains every type of field imaginable. So when you deliberately led us to this spot you were clearly hoping to get some kind of field advantage." The ex-Exodia holder said to Bugsy.

"You're awfully clever to put it all together like that, Ashton, but figuring out one rule won't be enough. There are surprises hiding behind every rock, and I know them all." Underbrush said to Ashton after giving him a sickening laugh.

"You can beat him, Ashton." May said to her friend out of encouragement.

"Don't let that flea scare ya - he's bluffin." The blonde haired youth said also encouraging his friend to fight on.

"Really?" Bugsy said, overhearing Naruto's statement as he drew his new card. "Then let's just see how you handle this bluff." He added while showing the card he was about to use, and after it appeared finished with, "My Hercules Beetle will find a way to crawl under your skin." Ashton saw the purple colored insect on the field then saw on his screen his stats changed from 1500 attack and 2000 defense to 1950 attack and 2600 defense.

'Even though I know about the field power bonus it's too late to rebuild my deck now. I guess a combo attack will be my best bet.' Ashton thought after a mental sigh. He then took a fiend based card from his hand and set it on the board.

"I play Feral Imp." The confident man said, but quickly added this once the monster was on the virtual board, "And now I'll add this Horn of the Unicorn so its magic will raise my attack points." The group of five, and several lookers, watched at the hologram of the imp's horn on its head changed from a small red/pink on to a grand white horn. Bugsy saw that Feral Imp's attack power went from 1300 to 2000.

"You'll have to do a lot better than that." Bugsy said with a big smile even after seeing the power boost of the winged fiend. "Hercules Beetle - ATTACK!" The purple bug rose up and sent white disks from its underside to its enemy. Not sure if he knew if the regional champion saw the power up Ashton attacked as well.

"Feral Imp - magic lightning attack." Blue lightning came from the new horn and onto the beetle, but after both attacks hit their targets only the Feral Imp was gone.

"Ashton's attack didn't even phase that thing." May said as she watched the electrical attack hit the insect, but nothing happened.

"Somethins screwy." Naruto added to his friend's comment. Letting her know that she was not the only one to think that something was wrong with that.

"My imp's magic lightning should have destroyed your beetle is this another trick Bugsy?" 'Ashton' said to his opponent knowing that this cheat knew why his move had little to no effect.

"No, Ashton." Underbrush started to say while watching his insect land on the field, just fine before going on. "I just thought you knew that all monsters that a field power bonus are also resistant to any type of magic attack, and since my Hercules Beetle easily deflected your lightning bolts he has more than enough power left to destroy your puny Feral Imp, and continue to eat away at your life points." Bugsy said proudly while pointing at the stunned opponent.

"Even that four-eyed ticks weakest bugs will be tough to beat so long as he's got that field power bonus." Naruto said in anger while watching the fight.

"Yeah, we get that Naruto, but it's not like it can be turned off." Kiba countered to his friend while looking away from the fight long enough to tell his fellow fighter that much.

"That Bugsy's a no good cheat." May said aloud and then looked up at her friend. 'Keep going Ashton; I know you know how to take him down.' She thought since she always felt that he knew how to best any foe.

"It's your turn, make your move." Underbrush said while looking beyond the three others and saw that there were more duelists coming to watch as he was about to beat another poor soul.

'This whole invulnerable rule is a load. I beat Butler made up that rule.' Ashton thought, breaking off from his current problem for a bit before going back to Bugsy. 'Maybe I should use my next monster in defend. By putting my card in defense mode my monster will take a hit, but my life points will be spared.' He thought as he set his new card in horizontal style facedown after looking that his score went from 2000 to 1350.

"So, we're defending now, are we?" Bugsy questioned with overconfidence in his voice. "Very clever. Since I can't see your monster's defense points I can't be sure I can beat it, but even your strongest monster can stand against my Basic Insect." He said and presented the same green insect that won him the regional competition. "Not only does he get a field power bonus, but I'm upgrading him with a level 3 laser cannon, and a level 2 power boost." He said forcing Ashton to stare into the bad end of a gun.

'NO! This is the same move that Bugsy used on Zaku to win the regional tournament.' Ashton thought as he stared at the gun totting insect.

"Now, Ashton, for all the innocent bugs you squashed, stomped, crushed, or fumigated - it's PAYBACK TIME!" Bugsy said and just like that the beam was sent at the downed monster which caused it to be flipped allowing the insect king to see what he hit. 'A Griffore? That's weak.' He thought to himself as the beast class disappeared. "You'll have to do better than that if you hope to survive my bug's laser powered arsenal." He bragged since he knew that this upstart would deck out before he did.

"Then I play this card." The blue towered duelist said while placing a new defense card and also looking at the screen. Two insects on the board, two magic cards on one creature, and one insect in the graveyard.

'Hmm? Another defense card no doubt, and I'll make sure defending is all he can do.' Bugsy thought to himself and the decided to torture the new guy. "I'm going to keep you on the defensive. Attack now with any monster and you will instantly activate this trap card." He said to the opponent, and the trio on the sidelines were starting to get nervous.

"That Bugsy got Ashton cornered." Kiba said to the others, starting to get a little angry of how this fight is going.

"Yeah. He can't even counter attack." Naruto added while watching the events unfold before him.

"As long as my Trap Card remains in play you are powerless to make a move against me." Bugsy proclaimed while thinking, 'I bet I have him too scared by my Parasite Worm trap card to think straight.' "So, does my tightening web make you squirm." He said to Ashton, showing off for the crowd; not afraid of the man that defeated Edward Kaiba.

'He's so busy bragging he's not paying any attention to my moves. Maybe I can set a little trap of my own.' Ashton thought as he sent a card from his hand to the row closest to him.

"I'll set a defense card myself." 'Ashton' said after he placed the card down.

"Ashton must have set a magic card is desperation." Bugsy said as he saw the new card, but could care less about it and concentrated about toying with him. "Face it Ashton, I've got you pinned down, and while your are totally unable to attack me. I can attack you anytime I want. Each turn you cower I create a new monster." Underbrush said to him and summoned one known as Gokibore, but his target simply drew a card. Bugsy then summoned Big Insect, and still Ash drew a new card. "Keep drawing Ashton my army of insects just keeps getting bigger I'm going to wipe out all your monsters in one bug blitzkrieg." Bugsy boasted as he summoned a mantis like insect that went by the name - Kamakiriman.

'That's right Bugsy put all your monsters on the field. That's exactly what I'm counting on.' Ashton thought to himself, and was a little surprised that the insect duelist was doing everything he was counting on.

"Just look at our Ashton. He's so confident up there." May said to the others, surprised that he wasn't the least bit nervous of facing those five on the field.

"I know when he duels it's like he becomes a totally different guy." Naruto said, telling her that she was not the only one that thinks he is so confident on the battlefield. The three of them watched as Underbrush drew his latest card from his dueling deck.

"Well, what do you know, I'm down to my last monstrous insect, and you know what that means Ashton. You're about to be exterminated!" Bugsy shouted out to Ashton.

"We'll see what my cards have to say about that." The other duelist said after drawing his card, and saw that it was his old friend.

'Yes, the Dark Magician - my last resort. With all those powered up bugs I can't attack, but I know that there is no way Bugsy can resist this as a target.' Ashton thought after looking at the purple clothed man.

"All right Bugsy. I defend with the Dark Magician." The blue towered duelist said and placed the said creature facedown on the field.

"Excellent, I'll destroy you're very favorite card first." The insectoid said with a happy smile. "Now, my pet, power up your laser cannon." He ordered to the equipped creature, and once he saw the target defense card glow red he added, "ATTACK!" Energy began to come to the cannon, and Underbrush that this was going to be smooth until he heard Ashton laughing. "Wh-Why are you laughing?" He questioned since the last time his opponent laughed he ended up loosing his Killer Needle.

"Bugsy, your not the only one who can set a trap card." The grandfather guardian said with a pointed finger to the bug brawler.

"WHAT?!" He responded not getting what he meant.

"You were so busy grandstanding you paid no attention to the cards I put into play." The opponent explained for his laughter.

"But I thought that they were all monster ca-cards." Bugsy said back, knowing that he was right because of the card beside the Dark Magician.

"Not all. While you loaded the field with your bug monsters I prepared a special surprise. The power of my Mirror Force trap card." 'Ashton' explained while taking the card from earlier and showing it to Bugsy.

"HOLD YOUR FIRE!" Underbrush shouted back since he knew the hidden new rule for that card.

"Too late, Bugsy. You've already ordered on my Dark Magician, and Mirror Force will deflect it right back at you." The magician holder said to the insect duelist. While that was being said Dark Magician was forced to reveal himself, but a small rectangular barrier came up with him forcing the bugs to be blown away with attackers own attack.

My life points are devastated." The red tower duelist said as he watched all of his insects be blown apart right before his eyes.

"Yes." 'Ashton' said as he watched the score of his opponent go from 2000 down to 555.

'I know that the Mirror Force life points must be a Butler rule, but it's one I like.' Ashton thought before listening to his friends.

"Way to go, Ashton!" The three of them shouted to him in one voice. Underbrush could only stare at his bare field in disbelief.

'He obliterated my army of beautiful bugs. How dare he!' Bugsy thought as he was getting angry at this novice.

"You're a liar, and a cheat Bugsy, but it was your overconfidence that allowed be to get the best of you. Your insects are decimated. Your life points are low, and as you yourself said before - you have used up all of your monsters." 'Motto' said with a confident smirk knowing that now that the Dark Magician was on the field there was not a monster Bugsy had that could defy him.


	5. Chapter 5

Pokemon is owned by Gamefreak/Nintendo and Cartoon Network

Fullmetal Alchemist is owned by Funimation

Naruto is owned by Viz Media

Yu-Gi-Oh! is owned by TXN (TV Tokyo)

Chapter 5

The Ultimate Great Moth

"Heh, great play, Ashton." Naruto said in a congratulatory style after watching the Mirror Force trap at work.

"He wiped out Bugsy's army in one move." Kiba added to his friend's comment with a first raised in praise.

"Alright, you've got `im on the ropes." May said also in praise over the move that was used. Unfortunately the next voice that spoke out was one that the brown haired youth did not want to hear.

"Ha Ha! Yeah, right." The new found voice said to the other three in a mocking style. The fellow classmate glanced over at the one that insulted her pal and saw that it was Sakura with a smug look on her face.

"Come on I know I saw a few others come this way." One duelist said while still in the forest.

"I know, I heard the news too. Some idiot is actually taking on the Region…al Champ…I…on." The follower to the first duelist trailed off since he took point and the first thing that he saw was a female duelist's torso eyes.

'Great more soon to be fan-boys.' The pink haired one thought as she saw the two boys through the corner of her right eye which she pointed to her face. The two followed it to her actual eyes - thinking that they would receive a flirting look, but instead got a ticked off look.

"Let's look somewhere else." The point man whispered to the one following him, and after a nod they went back into the forest.

'Now, where was I.' the latest arrival thought before adding, 'Oh, yeah, insulting these three losers, and their even bigger loser friend.'

"Sakura." Kiba and Naruto said, not noticing that two members of their side of the gene pool just ran off.

"You losers don't seem to realize who you're little pal is up against." She said to them so that they could look at her while she added, "He's got moves that you're little shrimp can't even dream of." All heard her, but no one was more upset at that then May Gardner.

'Oh, that Sakura! Always butting in with her big mouth. Well, I'm not going to let her trash my friends.' The brown haired girl thought, not noticing that she was freaking out the blond beside her with her facial expression. "No one asked you so why don't you just take a hike." She shouted aloud while pointing away from the ring. The other teen girl heard her, but ignored it with ease.

""Ashy-chan has only won one duel, and in Duel Monsters you never know what the next turn brings. It's a little early to be celebrating." The group heard her, but only one was truly cheesed off over what she had just said.

'Who does this woman think she is? And who's she calling - Ashy-chan?' May thought after hearing the comment; she knew that 'chan' was an honorific used for little kids, so that made her even angrier. "Look, Sakura, can't you see that Ashton is in the lead?" She questioned the sarcastic one.

"And miss the chance to watch a champion like Bugsy as he turns this around. No way." Sakura Valentine said back while walking past the out stretched arm. The other two, not so angry with her heard her earlier comment and the one from just now and knew that she had a valid point.

"Yeah, I mean Bugsy really came from behind in win the Regionals." The boastful blonde said to the others with closed eyes.

"He's tough and sneaky." The gray jacketed one commented while nodding to his friend's comment. The two piece talk of her friends only angered the supportive one even more.

"Who's side are you two goofballs on, anyways?!" She shouted/questioned to the two to her right.

"All I'm saying is for Ashton, this is first official duel." Naruto Wheeler said to her, explaining himself to his friend

"And he's fighting a champ." The brown haired boy added to the other participant's statement. And that was when Naruto encouraged her that she was right to support their friend too.

"I know that Ash will win, of course, but he let his guard down." The put a smile on the female's face.

'That's a true friend.' She thought and then heard the laughter of the other girl to her left. 'Sakura, you trouble maker, you think you know so much, but Ashton will show you.' The friend of the puzzle wielder thought since she knew that was a sarcastic laugh. 'I'm just glad that Ash will have to face her sooner or later.' Her final thought brought a mental smile to her face before resuming to watch the fight.

'I might as well and see just how powerful Ashton really is.' The female participant thought, and also watched what she was sure to be a one sided fight.

"You may have flattened my army of bugs, Ashton, but you haven't won. I plenty of tricks up my sleeve." Bugsy said with an angered look on his face, but the threat did nothing to the other player.

"You've done an awful lot of buzzing throughout this whole duel, Bugsy, but I'm still here waiting for the sting." The victor of Blue-Eyes said with a confident smirk.

"Ashton, you will regret that comment and your last move because now it's personal." Underbrush countered but his words didn't phase the raven haired youth.

"You should really put you complaints in your cards because I'll beat you head on." Ashton countered with that comment, but this time it was Bugsy not to be intimidated.

"Since your new to this whole dueling tournament thing I'll try to make this simple for you. I'm gonna wipe that goofy grin off your face." The bug brawler said to the other while thinking, 'With the trump card I have in my deck Ashton's dueling career is already over.' His mind went back to the duel at hand as he looked at the cards in his hand. "Now let's see which lucky bugs gets to take the first bite." He said to the smiling man before adding, "Oh, but this little bug won't stand a chance against all your ferocious monsters. Oh well, I'll play him in defense mode." After doing as he could only mentally laugh about what he just did.

"That would have been a nice bluff." Ashton said after looking at the display on the monitor before him. "But I still haven't forgotten the trap card you played." He added and then recalled that one instance in the game:

"With this trap card you won't be able to attack me with any of your monsters." The few turns ago Bugsy said and that brought the duelist back to the present.

'He didn't trap me then, and he's not gonna trap me now. Bugsy's trap card will activate as soon as I call an attack and it'll destroy all the monsters I have on the field, but what if I get my monsters off the field first, and then destroy Bugsy's trap. That's it!' Ashton thought for a moment, and then spoke aloud to the ones around him.

"I'll spring your trap, Bugsy, but first…" The duelist in the blue corner said and stalled while pulling a card from his hand and slamming on the table before him, and then finished his comment, "The Monster Recovery card - it allows me to call back all the creatures I have on the field. Monster's return to your cards." The two defensive ones fled to the square behind them just as he told them to do. "Now your trap has nothing to snare." Muto informed while seeing the angered look on his opponent's face. "And once my monsters are all safely back in my deck the recovery card also lets me draw a new hand." He informed while manually lifting the two cards on the field, and the Graveyard pile back with his deck, and began to shuffle. "Now all I have to do is sacrifice one of my weaker monsters and your trap is sprung." The boy proclaimed, and then used his fifth card to do just that. "Kuriboh, attack!" He shouted after a brown furred creature appeared on the field.

"No!" Underbrush shouted while looking down at the glowing square which activated - revealing to all a strange centipede creature which lunged at the new creature. The beast went for the attack and destroyed the fiend type in an instant.

"Trap cards only work if they catch you by surprise. Next time don't give your plan away." The tactical one informed with a smile even though the others down below watched as their friend/opponent's life points from 1350 to 1050. Just as the three were about to cheer over what just happened the team heard a familiar laugh in the red corner.

"I didn't!" Bugsy shouted after his fit of laughter and added, "I don't give a bee's behind about that stupid trap." With an accusing finger at the 'gullible' one while sporting a mad grin.

"What?" 'Ashton' questioned back wondering if he should be worried over the real test or the despicable statement, but he steeled himself up for what may happen next.

"I tricked you into recalling your monsters, so you couldn't attack this?!" Underbrush shouted proudly while showing the creature he hid in defense mode. After the light show there was a simple green, blue, and yellow insect on the field with stats of 500 Attack Points and 400 Defense Points to 650 attack and 520 defense.

'It's just a simple little Larva Moth. That tiny creature can't be much of a threat. What's Bugsy up to now?' The good duelist thought before looking right at the summoner of the insect.

"Sure he may be a little slug now…" The bug brawler said since he knew that all duelists that faced the insect were confused by it. "But the Cocoon of Evolution will change all that." The duelist said while placing a card over the Larva Moth card.

"What?" 'Ashton' shouted in disbelief over what he was about to see.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Bugsy questioned with pride since it was better than his imagination ever conceived. The others were getting a little disgusted by the sight before them, and that point was made thanks to May Gardner.

"Ew, that's just gross." She said during the transformation to the others as the cocoon process was taking place.

"Bugsy's bug is sealing itself in a cocoon." Naruto pointed out to the others also while watching the process at work. The statements made by the support team did not go unnoticed.

'I told those chumps Bugsy was going to turn this duel around.' Sakura thought while watching it unfazed over what was happening before her.

"Behold my Cocoon of Evolution." Bugsy exclaimed after the transformation was complete. "Within that cocoon sits my tiny, little Larva Moth, and over the next five turns he will undergo a startling transformation - from harmless caterpillar to unstoppable great moth." He added after a victory laugh.

"Then I'll crack your cocoon before that happens." The hero said back in defiance. The insectoid lover loved talking about the power of his deck and right now was no exception.

"HA! Easier said then done, Ashton. For my Cocoon of Evolution also gets a field power bonus from the wilderness around us. Increasing it's Defense Points, it'll be so strong you won't be able to scratch it's surface." Underbrush shouted feeling confident of it's 2600 Defense Points. "Just five more turns, Ashton, in five turns my moth will fully evolve and finish you off." He added while showing off the number five with his right hand.

'If what Bugsy said is true I better act fast. That thing is getting bigger and stronger with each passing second.' The former Exodia owner thought while picturing the insect doing just that. 'I have to find a way to break open that cocoon NOW.' Ashton thought even though that he was coming up with nothing. 'I can't let that moth get to it's fifth stage of evolution, but do I have card strong enough to stop it.' Ashton thought before looking back at his hand.

"Hmm?" He said before calling for a new monster. "Gaia the Fierce Knight." The cheered on hero said and a horse riding warrior with twin lance stood ready to use it's 2300 Attack Points and 2100 Defense Points. Without saying anything the warrior charged right at it. "Shatter that cocoon." The owner of the creature in question shouted, but it was in vain as the lance attack was repelled due to the barrier's stronger defense.

"Ah, the field power bonus makes it too strong." Wheeler announced after the knight tried to pierce it. 'Not good.' The friend thought, but he knew that the man that defied Edward Kaiba can handle this minor annoyance.

"That's one turn down! Care to try again?" Bugsy cheered and boastfully questioned to the opponent. The knight sat on his old friend patiently glaring at the pill shaped wall before him, waiting for his partner's next command.

'Bugsy's cocoon is going to be tough to crack, and for each attack that fails my life points go down.' Ashton thought and while he was thinking that his gauge went from 1050 to 750 due to the 300 point difference.

"Oh-no." May said after seeing the points go down even more.

"Hang tough, Ash. You'll pop that puss-bag." The blonde buddy said to him in an encouraging way, but no sooner that he said that that there was a laugh to their left.

"Just what do you think you're laughing at." May questioned with an edge in her voice. The source of the laugh heard the edge, but ignored it.

"All that stupid cheerleading you're doing. You make it sound like your Ashton still has a chance." Sakura commented while gazing up at the man in question.

"Of course he does!" The female member of the four shouted back while almost losing all of her self control.

"You guys don't seem to know much no wonder Ash-chan is having a hard time." Sakura Valentine added, pushing the female off even more which it did, but before May could try to start a cat fight Naruto held her by binding her arms with his own.

"Just block her out, May." Naruto said to her since he did not wish to see a scratch fight with these two.

"Any duelist that's ever gone up against Bugsy's Cocoon of Evolution has been totally trashed." The long pink haired girl said to them, explaining to the group as to why she knows that Ashton Muto is about to lose it all.

"All of them?" The guys on the sidelines questioned in shock since that seemed a little hard to believe.

"But, Ashton has us to help him beat it." May said to her, yet knowing that the fellow female would not understand what she meant by that.

'He'll need a whole lot more than you losers.' The boastful beauty thought as she looked back at the field, but then heard a voice from beside her.

"So, Sakura, are you saying that Ashton is going to loose?" Gardner questioned hinting that she was nervous over what she had heard. She did not receive a straight answer, but rather a harsh laugh, but the female in question was thinking of one thing.

'Honestly, what will you do Ashton?' She thought and just stood and watched to see what was going to happen next.

"Hear it growing? The more time you waist, the more powerful it becomes." Underbrush gloated, wanting to see fear in Muto's eyes; to hear him say 'I give up' instead of flexing his muscles.

'If I don't think of something quick I'm just not going to lose this duel I'll lose my only chance to rescue my grandpa. There is no way I can let that happen.' Ashton thought and then had a moment of uncertainty, 'But I don't have any cards strong enough the Cocoon of Evolution, even in a combo. What can I do?' The duelist shook that thought off when he heard the cheater speak.

"Tick-tock. Tick-tock. Just four more turns until my ultimate insect emerges then you can stop worrying about how you're going to destroy it, and start worrying about how it's going to destroy you." Bugsy said after drawing one card and added a laugh, but saw the confusion over why he didn't summon a new card this turn, so he explained. "For your information as long as the Cocoon of Evolution is on the field I can't play any cards, so that's why my turns will go quickly, but the monster in the cocoon will continue to change." That question answered their battle continued.

'Maybe I should prepare a defense just incase I really can't stop that thing.' Ashton thought as he through one of the various defenses foe the Blue-Eyes: Beaver Warrior.

"Ha! You're wasting your turn. No defense will save your life points once my moth is out." Underbrush boasted after drawing his card. Ashton did too in silence, but he did not like the look of his hand.

'I have to figure out a way to turn this duel around.' Ashton thought as he looked at his four cards. 'Bugsy seems pretty confident that whatever's growing in that cocoon is unbeatable, but there's got to be some way to pop that thing open, and whip that smirk off his face, but how?' Ashton thought and started to grow nervous until…he heard something beside him.

"Hang in there, Ashton." Gardner said first and then…

"Ya gotta win this for your grandpa; he's counting on ya." Wheeler added with both fists primed. The three saw as their friend was looking down at them, and knew that he heard their comments.

"I know he is." Muto said back to them in a solemn tone, but that answer was not good enough to his old friend.

"Then you can't keep this little creep push you around. Ashton, you gotta get fired up." Naruto said and saw that his friend's expression sort of changed so he added, "You heard me; I don't want you to make me stand here and watch you lose. So, put some fire into it!" That was when both fire comments sunk into the duelist's head.

'Wait, that's it! Get fired up.' Ashton thought before looking back down at his hand to see if he had what he needed for this stunt. There was one down below that was getting board with the support team, so she had to say something to them.

"So, do you guys sit around and work up these lame cheers or do they just come to you. I mean don't you realize that your pep talk nonsense only distracts Ashton from the game." Sakura informed them and quickly added, "Once a duel begins, a duelist's only ally is herself. I've never known cheap talk like yours to help anyone with a match." The comment was heard by the group, but only the team's female responded.

"How would you know? I bet no one has ever wanted to be your friend let alone care enough to cheer you on." May said back to the pushy pink hair, and followed it with, "For your information they do help Ashton. He knows we're behind him." The comment from the faithful one did not phase the participant.

"Friends haven't helped Ashton any - he's losing." Valentine commented out of cockiness, but had to add, "Huh?" when she looked up and saw the opponent of the Regional Champion giving the three a thumbs-up.

"Yeah." Kiba said aloud when he saw the gesture.

"Yes." Naruto added when he too saw it.

"All right! Well, Sakura, from the look on Ashton's face I'd say having friends just did help him out. So there." May said and started making faces at the female, but at the same time she thought, 'A hussy like Sakura could never understand our friendship.' The childness of her face making was easily ignore by a different thought in the duelist head.

'Brat! What possible idea could Ashton get from these mental morons.' Sakura thought and watched the novice's counter attack.

"GO, Curse of Dragon, take flight!" Ashton shouted and summoned a dark yellow/red dragon with 2000 Attack Points and 1500 Defense Points. "And I'll combine it with this magic card." The dragon handler said and threw down a card from his hand, but as soon as it was on the mat he did not move his hand just yet. "Attack with Dragon Flame!" He ordered to the dragon which followed it without question. The flames engulfed everything and this caused the bug brawler to get angry at this display.

"What do you think your doing?!" Bugsy shouted and added, "You know your little firefly can't hurt my cocoon." The insectoid informed not noticing the card under his hand, but he did hear his opponent chuckle over what was just said. "What's so funny?" Underbrush questioned since he did not like to be laughed at.

"Who ever said I was aiming for your cocoon?" 'Ashton' questioned to the enemy with a smile. "I combined my Burning Land magic card with my Curse of Dragon to destroy the forest all around your cocoon." The duelist added while removing his hand from the activated magic card to show off what he meant.

"No forest! That means I lose my field power bonus." Underbrush said after seeing the charred forest around the pill shaped object.

"Exactly, your cocoon was too tough to attack directly, but without it's field power bonus it's just a big target." The strategist said with pride over what he had just done

"No." Bugsy shouted as he watched the points go from 2600 to 2000.

"Now, let's try this again. Gaia the Fierce Knight - ATTACK!" Ashton shouted and just like last time the warrior lunged his left lance into the cocoon, but this time it made contact.

"He did it!" May shouted in happiness.

"Popped it open like a zit." Naruto added to her comment with a fist punched for the heaves out of praise. As the group was praising Bugsy just smiled since he knew of the contingency plan of the cocoon, and they don't.

'Strange, why is the cocoon still there? Gaia made a clean hit?' Ashton thought while looking at the small hole his creature made.

"Is it still alive?" Gardner questioned since she too was wondering why the chrysalis was still around.

"I have a bad feeling we're about to find out." Wheeler said to her and for some reason knew that this match was not over yet.

"See anything." The supportive female said while looking around before hearing some sort of cry, and then watched as the strange barrier gave way to a new creature.

"I-It's still - still moving." The best friend stuttered after hearing the noise too.

"You're surprised?" Sakura questioned and knew that this was one of the main ways of how it was going to end. When Ashton take it's first step he was a little shocked that his 2300 Attack Point monster had no effect.

"It must have evolved enough to survive." The blonde boy said after seeing what Ashton was seeing and hearing Underbrush's laugh. Kiba Taylor and May Gardner was caught off guard over what they heard and saw.

"I told you Bugsy was good." Sakura commented to the others, informing them that she knew this was how it was going to be for the two of them.

"I'm impressed that you pierced my cocoon, Ashton, but you still were unable to stop the evolution of my ultimate insect - the Great Moth." Bugsy shouted as the second best moth appeared on the field so all could see with it's 2600 Attack Points and 2500 Defense Points.

"But I thought it took five turns." The blue duelist said, still not getting what just happened right now.

"So you stopped him one turn early. He's still strong enough to beat you." Bugsy said after laughing at his opponent's ignorance over the insect creatures in this game.

"Oh-no." May said after getting an eyeful of the opposing monster.

'Ha! I noticed that the little dweebs aren't cheering now. The Great Moth is an unbeatable creature. They can chatter from the sidelines all they want, but it won't help Ashton one bit.' Sakura thought and then added another part to that, 'So this is Underbrush's trump card! I've never seen it before. Ashton's in a tight spot since Bugsy has already one this.' She then continued to watch the novice's last battle - at least that is what she wants the think.

'Bugsy's turn this duel around once more, but I'm not giving up.' Ash thought as he stared at the beast before him and his team.

"So, Ashton, feeling outclassed yet." The bug lover said, feeling proud that the battle has been going his way thanks to his - creative thinking. "Or maybe you're enjoying your first Major League dueling loss." He added with a more than over confident grin on his face.

"Hmm, You may have gotten you're prized monster onto the field Bugsy, but I'll still find a way to squash that over sized bug." 'Ashton' said back to the opponent just to keep him on his toes.

"HA! You'll pay for that stinging jab with your life points!" The bug-maniac shouted back not believing a single word from the soon to be dead man.

"DUEL!" The other said back since he knew what was coming up.

"Great Moth, take flight!" Underbrush commanded of his creature which obeyed and flapped it's wings to be at eye level to the one that destroyed it's field.

"So be it. We'll settle this in the skies." The blue cornered one said as he and his dragon waited for the insect to get up there. Once those two were even Bugsy grew relaxed after checking the Attack gauges on his board.

'Ha! Ashton's dragon is no match for my Great Moth, and none of his land monsters have the ability to attack me in the air.' The red fighter thought ending with an evil laugh and then questioned himself, 'But which puny creature shall I decimate first.' Another mental laugh occurred within that sick mind and then he spoke. "I think it's high time I paid back your knight for demolishing my cocoon." He said as he looked at the warrior class in question with evil glee.

'My knight, he's the heart of my attack force. There's no way I can afford to lose him.' The raven haired one thought as he looked at his friend with pleading eyes before spotting a possible rescue move for him in his hand.

"This is it Ashton! My Great Moth will crush your defenses slay your knight and blast your dragon from the sky." The 'Champion' boasted to the other human as the creature in question was about to do so.

"Not if I can help it, Bugsy." The dragon handler shouted back with a grunt of effort as he slammed down a magic card that he knew would helped out.

"But that's just it! You can't help it! Moth, Hurricane Attack." The bug enthusiast ordered and the insect shot of twin hurricanes, one from each wing at the ground forces.

"No, my Beaver Warrior." 'Ashton' shouted in dismay as he saw his beast-warrior try to stand it, but was wiped out. "My defense." He explained after the 1500 point creature went down in defeat.

"It's hopeless! My Great Moth can destroy all land-based creatures at once, so that means you're knight will be totally blown away." Bugsy said as the wind enveloped to the second land creature. When the sound of a monster being destroyed was heard Underbrush began to shout in praise. "That'll teach him to mess with my cocoon." The insect said after laughing about his victory.

"Don't count on it." The blue jacketed man said back to the enemy in a sly tone.

"Hmm?" The Regional Winner said after hearing the comment and was curious what the other meant by that.

"Bugsy, you were so busy fawning over your both you didn't notice I played a Polymerization card." 'Muto' explained while presenting the card in question, and was grateful that Butler decided to go against that natural rule when he programmed these machines.

"But, I thought…" Bugsy said and then faded off since he had nothing clever to say after seeing that stunt. 'Even I didn't know Butler made that rule.' He thought as he watched the fusion show.

"If I have two compatible monsters on the field I can use my Polymerization card and fuse them into one ultimate creature." The fusion wielder said while feeling a little proud of the work he had just done.

"I'm not some beginner. I know what fusion does." Underbrush said back to the other in an offended way since he did not need a novice to tell him how to play a game where he is the Regional Champion.

"Then you must know that it increases my Attack Points." 'Ashton' explained with a smile since he liked his counter move. The group down below watched as the horse disappeared and the blue armored man leapt off of his steed and landed on top of the dragon - ready for battle. "My fused dragon/knight combo is now powerful enough to go head to head with your Great Moth." The magic user said, and knew that neither could do anything since they would only destroy each other because the insect had stats of - 2600/2500 and the fuzor - 2600/2100.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that! Look again!" Bugsy said back after and loud, annoying laugh. That was when the opponent looked up to see something on his creature's body.

"Wha? No." 'Ashton' said as he looked up at the creature, and then added, "My knight, he's losing points and fast, but how and why?" The duelist questioned before remembering the moths that got in their way as they ran to this location and thought…

'Wait, the Great Moth has poison on it's wings.' Ashton realized that and for some strange reason a variation of Great Moth appeared in his mind, but only for a moment.

"It's poison, Ashton." Bugsy said not knowing that the enemy has already figured it out, and then continued, "Poison particles from my Great Moth. Each time it uses it's hurricane attack it releases tons of these tiny toxic particles and your precious dragon/knight combo is being poisoned by the deadly touch." The little creep gloated by laughing at what was happening.

'My knight is losing points every passing second, but how do I protect him against the very air itself.' Ashton thought as he looked at the corroded-looking creature before him.

"Looks to me like my poison particles are taking their toll, Ashton." Underbrush cheered for his own move.

'Oh-no, my knight is really in serious trouble, and there's nothing in my deck that can help him.' The opponent thought while looking at the four cards in his possession. 'But I know my grandpa's deck won't let me down.' He added to his first thought and just like that after his draw phase got just what he needed.

"Yes. Ready to be rained out, Bugsy?" 'Ashton' said to the cheater and then threw down the card he just drew. "Makiu, the Magical Mist." He announced while throwing it on the field. Underbrush could only growl as a clap of thunder rolled in and ran fell onto both of their beasts.

"No, my poison - your washing it all away." The 'champ' whined as he watched as the knight and dragon began to look like new.

"That's right. Magical Mist washes the field clean." The caster said back also seeing the sight before him.

"No fair. I was about to win and you saved yourself with a little drizzle!" Underbrush shouted back, not liking that this new guy was still trying to outshine him, and his…methods.

'It's true, I saved my knight, but that's not all I did.' Ashton thought as he gazed at the field and had a follow up idea.

"All right, then. You may have stopped my poison attack, but I promise you only won yourself a brief reprieve because my next move is one you won't be able to think your way out of. Brace yourself for my Ultimate Insect's ultimate attack, Great Moth - Tornado of Doom!" Bugsy shouted and that was when the insect summoned a bright yellow sphere in between it's legs which had some wind mixed in with it.

'Crud.' Muto thought after the move hit it's mark.

"Direct Hit!" Underbrush shouted with an evil cackle after seeing the sight and then added, "Your little rainstorm didn't save you from that one; now did it, and your almost out of life points." The blue duelist was merely thinking of what his creature was at to give him that score until he heard what the viewers had to say about it.

"Ashton, keep fighting, you can come back from this." Naruto said to his old friend.

"You're all delusional." Sakura said to them bluntly.

"No, Naruto's right. Ashton never gives up, and we never give up on him." May said to the female while protecting her friends at the same time.

"You're nuts. Bugsy has already annihilated Ashton's strongest monster combo. He's down to fifty measly Life Points. He can't win, so do me a favor and stop yapping." Sakura Valentine said back to them since their talk of friends and sticking together was getting on her nerves.

"I won't stop yapping, you: selfish, pompous, candy-pink haired, know-it-all windbag. Do us a favor and get lost, right Naruto?" The brown haired girl questioned.

"You said it. Just ignore her, May. Ashton's in trouble." The blonde male said while not once looking away from his friend's battle since it started.

"I know. What can we do?" May questioned since she had no idea how their pal could get out of this one.

"It's alright, there's a way Ashton can win." Wheeler said to them with his back still turned.

"What is it?" His friend questioned, thinking that he may have a way to deal with it since he did help lower the cocoon's Defense Power.

"I don't know if I was in the Regional's I probably would have only made eighth place, so don't ask me." He said back to her and the other two knew that he was right since he fought with heart, he had a reason to be here. "Still be nice if we could trade one of us, namely Sakura, for Life Points." He said to them in attempt to lighten the mood, but it only caused Gardner to fall over out of embarrassment.

"I wish." She said to her guy friend before hearing the arrogant voice of another Duelist Kingdom fighter.

"I told you all along that Ashton never had a chance of winning this thing." Valentine heard the growl from the kneeling groupie, but she ignored it and went on, "He waists too much of his time listening to you losers Bugsy keeps his mind on the game, and that is why Ashton-chan never had a chance against Bugsy. Still there's no need for him to feel ashamed of this duel. Underbrush was just too strong." Her statement irritated all of them including the standing May, but it was their third friend that spoke against her this time.

"Sakura-chan, if he's so great then why didn't he see this one coming?" Kiba questioned after looking at his friend to see Ashton's face, and to get the other's attention to do the same.

"See what coming?" The three questioned at once.

"Whatever it is Ashton's grinning about." Kiba Taylor said back to them, and this made the naysayer even more confused until her and two others looked up at the new comer.

"You're right. He's got a big smile." The novice said to his friend, and that was when the most supportive brought something else up.

"I don't think he's smiling. I think he's laughing." May said informing the others that she was hearing the SLIGHTEST sound of a laugh around them.

"No way." Sakura said to the group since she was surprised that he was laughing instead of cowering at the Regional Champion.

"Hey. Hey. What are you so happy about? Stop that snickering?!" Bugsy shouted since he too was hearing the laugher, except better then the female, and was getting annoyed that the new guy wasn't taking his…methods the others have.

"Bugsy, I know it will be very difficult for you to accept losing a duel." The calm duelist said with closed eyes which he could tell that the cheater was getting a little nervous. "Especially finding so much time finding inventive ways to cheat, but if you thought bending the rules would help you win this match - your wrong." 'Ashton' said to him while slowly opening his eyes.

"No, this is a trick!" The insect lover shouted, not believing that after everything he through that there was one man that would still know that he was going to win.

"You play dishonestly so you expect the same from your opponents, but I duel with honor Bugsy, and that makes all the difference." The confident one said while slowly reaching for the furthest right card.

"You've got nothin." Bugsy said back while seeming to be the one sweating this time. Muto saw this and decided to get to him even more.

"Before I play this card I have to ask you this: What do you enjoy most about dueling? Is it when a duel goes exactly as you predicted, and you're finally sure that victory is yours? If so then you fell right into my trap, Bugsy, Gaia was a ruse all along." The honor bound one said with a smile with his fingers firmly on the selected card.

'Impossible if he was only going to throw away Gaia then who is the real target?' Underbrush thought before hearing the opponent continue on.

"Here's what I've got, your true foe, the mighty - Summoned Skull!" He proclaimed and threw down a fiend class creature with a pretty strong Attack Power.

"Whoa, what is that?" The pink haired woman questioned after getting an eye full of the horned skeleton with wings.

"This is it, Bugsy. You're ultimate insect won't withstand my next attack." 'Muto' promised to the cheat after his friend rose from the ground in purple smoke.

'Ha! Ashton must be losing it. His Summoned Skull is strong, but my Great Moth is stronger still. If he's foolish enough to attack. My monster will most certainly squish his monster, and whip out the rest of Ashton's precious Life Points as well.' Underbrush thought comparing his beasts 2600 Attack Power to the skull's 2500 Attack Power, but as if he knew what the schemer was thinking Ashton decided to rain on his parade.

"There's something you overlooked, Bugsy. My Magical Mist is still dampening this entire field." He informed his opponent and that was when Bugsy and Sakura realized that what he said was true.

"He's right." The insect lover said and then looked at the active square, which was glowing bright yellow, and saw a water ripple. "Everything's wet. My Great Moth is totally soaked." He added and heard a painful screech from the insect in question since it knew that this duel was done.

"And my Summoned Skull attacks with electricity making your waterlogged bug a giant sized lightning rod. I hope your in the mood for some fireworks, Bugsy because all this water boosts my monster's Attack Power by one thousand points." The fiend summoner said and that was when both saw the 2500 go to 3500. "Summon Skull, Lightning Strike." He ordered and that was when the fiend launched the attack into the sky.

'This can't be happening.' Underbrush thought before seeing the attack come back down, and circle around his beast. After a some light show this insect burst into flames and hit the ground.

"It's over. I've won." 'Ashton' said in a grave tone. A way of telling his enemy that he had one and there was no other trick that the other could do.

"NO! IMPOSSIBLE! My moth's unbeatable!" Underbrush shouted while looking at the smoldering wreck that is his monster before fainting at his stand.

"All right, Ashton." Naruto cheered for his friend after seeing the winged fiend win it for him.

"Way to go!" The brown haired male added to his friend comment.

"Yeah!" The two said together.

"You won! I knew you would!" May said up to her friend with a smile on her face. Unknown to them the four were leaving a very shocked Sakura Valentine behind them.

"Impressive. I didn't ever think that Ashton could ever beat Bugsy." She said aloud while thinking to herself, 'But I now see how Ashton was able to beat Edward Kaiba.' The female along with several other participants left after the 'champ's' defeat. Underbrush came too after their cheer and was about to crawl away until four shadows cut him off.

"But I'm the Regional Champion. The Regional Champion." The bug expert complained as he sat on his heels before the one that bested him and his three friends.

"You call yourself Bugsy, but you only won you're duels through lying and cheating. True champions fight with honor. They play fair." 'Ashton' explained while tossing the Star Chips in his hand, the ones that Bugsy tossed to them a few seconds ago - wanting them to leave him to sulk, and closed them in a fist.

"Ah, don't waste your breathe on this sneaky slug. He's a dueling disgrace." Naruto said while getting up in the failed one's face which caused the expert on the insect kingdom to faint again. "So, I hereby relieve him of his dueling gauntlet." The blonde added while picking up the item that was tossed with the Star Chips.

'Who would have though that the first one to be sent home would be the all-Japan Champion.' Ashton thought while watching the moment of Bugsy and Naruto, and then put his winnings at the base of his glove.

"There, three Star Chips so far, but I still need to win seven more. Ten Star Chips will gain me entry into that castle where they're holding my grandfather prisoner, and where I'll battle Butler once and for all." The victor said while looking at the structure before them. When they realized that there was no other reason of being there the four of them left with a spiritless victor.


	6. Chapter 6

Pokemon is owned by Gamefreak/Nintendo and Cartoon Network

Fullmetal Alchemist is owned by Funimation

Naruto is owned by Viz Media

Yu-Gi-Oh! is owned by TXN (TV Tokyo)

Chapter 6

First duel

Up in the castle, in a meeting hall of sorts sat the organizer of this tournament Maxwell Butler saying aloud, "All over the island my unwitting pawns are in place. The duels have begun and by now…" He stalled after closing the lid of his pocket watch before adding, "The slow process of elimination is well underway. Only the strongest Duel Monsters players will survive, and those of insufficient skill will fall by the wayside." There was one thought that kept playing into his mind since this bout began, 'Will you come to the castle, Ashton?' Outside the walls the hero and his friends were enjoying the ocean view before them.

"Okay, bring `em on. I'm itching to duel, and I'm taking on the next player we see." Naruto said to his friends before charging to the cliff before them. The trio he left behind were a little under-whelmed by his attitude.

"You know, I'm not sure Naruto is up to this?" May said to the others since she had a feeling where this confidence of his was going to land him.

"Yeah. There are tournament level players here, but don't you think he's smart enough to realize…" Kiba said and was interrupted by the person in question.

"Hey, guys come over here. The view is just beautiful." He said: stunning the others over how his view has so quickly changed, but did as he asked just the same. As the others were walking over the blonde became a bit serious as he watched the ocean. 'I've got to be a champion for Hinata's sake. She's always counted on me…even when we were kids.' He thought while remembering one other time the ocean played a part in his life:

"Where are we, Naruto? Where have you taken me today, big brother?" A young girl in a pink outfit questioned as she and a blonde child got out of the bus.

"To the beach. That's what you said you wanted." A younger Naruto Wheeler said to his sister. He liked the happy gleam in her eyes once he said where they were heading. They held hands and walked the rest of the way to the beach.

"Hey, Naruto." The sister said to her guardian.

"Yeah?" He questioned back to her.

"Ha! You're the world's best brother." She exclaimed before going into a run to get to the beach first. He laughed at her praise in good fun as they continued on their way. "Oh, Naruto, it looks so pretty." She said once they were on the sandy surface.

"And so cold." He added to her comment causing her to turn to him and watched as he ran away when a wave crashed into him; making her laugh at his pain. "What a great day. We gotta come back here." The brother said as he and his sibling were making a sand castle.

"But how?" The younger Wheeler questioned since she knew what was going on between their parents. Not wanting her to worry the older one answered her in the only way he could:

"Don't worry. Even if mom and dad do get divorced and we have to live apart. I'll still bring you back to this place someday." He said and saw that her eyes once again were lit up out of happiness.

"You promise?" She questioned with her right pinky over the castle.

"Yeah, I promise." He said back to her causing the owner of the memories to go back to the present.

'I'm your big brother, Hinata. I'm supposed to take care of ya. I'm gonna win this tournament and the prize money. I'm gonna make sure that you don't lose your eyesight, and show you that beautiful ocean one more time. I promise' The teen Naruto thought while gazing at the view before him.

"Look there." The brown haired female said to her friends causing them to turn from the ocean and see several big machines.

"Duel Monsters stadiums." Kiba said even though he knew that the others already knew what they were after seeing Bugsy and Ashton fight on one. "Look at em. They're all over." He said as they all saw the same steel structures scattered all over the place.

"You said it. Lots of dueling going on." Ashton informed them since he was surprised that Duel Monsters was really this popular. The blonde heard their comments and decided that it was now or never.

"Right. I'm going in." The orange jacked one said to them and was about to leave until his friends had to point out a minor fact.

"Are you sure you want to do this? If you lose you'll give up your only Starchip." Kiba pointed out to his old friend.

"That's right." May added to her friend's statement. It was then Wheeler collapsed out of forgetfulness. Ashton did not like to see this kind of attitude in his friends so he tried to raise the new guy's spirits.

"Don't panic. You can do this. You do know that, don't you?" Ash questioned to his friend who seemed a bit better after hearing those words.

"I hope you're right, Ashton. This'll be my first official duel and I can't afford to get knocked out at the start." Wheeler informed the experienced one with a semi-calm smile.

"For these battles you should pick your fields carefully." Ashton said since it was such a fact that allowed his Mammoth Graveyard to cause a draw with Killer Needle.

"Try picking someone easy, Naruto." May said since she was sure that there was someone as skilled as her friend. He heard her, but liked the more experienced ones call more.

"Ashton's right: I should focus on the field my cards are best suited for. They're mostly monsters and fighter types…I guess that makes this meadow region my kind of turf." He said while looking over his shoulder to the one that helped him build his new deck.

"You've got it, Naruto. See, you know what your doing." Ashton congratulated his friend for his observation. The crew were now looking for an opponent that was in this area, but were halted by a voice to their right.

"You lost, crybaby now give me your Star Chips." A voice said aloud. The voice aloud caused May's anger to rise since the last time they met her.

"A voice that annoying can only belong to…Sakura" May said before they all listened to the conversation between her and the person she just beat.

"It's not fair. You cheated somehow. How could you know what your cards were when they were still face-down." The opponent complained to her since it defied all known logic that he knew of.

"I'm pshycic and you're done." The pink haired one said before giving him a wink. That alone caused her to laugh even more as the opponent ran away crying his eyes out. Her laughing fit was over when she saw the crew from earlier standing before her - just starring at her. "Look who's here?" She taunted to them, but they really weren't paying attention to that.

"Wow. Sakura has already won two more Star Chips." Naruto pointed out to the others while looking at her gauntlet and saw four of the star holes were filled. It was then the pink hair decided to get rid of another duelist.

"Hey, Ashton, are your duels going well?" She asked in a sweet tone after coming up close to the group.

"I'm making progress." He answered to her since he did not see the harm of being honest. Before he knew what was going on the older woman grabbed his gauntlet wrist, and brought it closer.

"So, you have three Star Chips, do you?" The seductress questioned while noticing how the female in their group was getting angry at the holding hands that the two were doing. "I might be up fro a duel myself." She commented, and it was then the brown haired girl whispered her opinion to her friend.

"Take her." She ordered to him causing the hero to become a little nervous over what was said. "Knock her out of the contest and off the island." She ordered; explaining why this move was necessary.

"Hmm?" Sakura questioned after standing upright, and heard what May wanted from her friend. "Ya know? I'm definetly in the mood for a duel right now." She said before finishing with, "So, get ready because I choose to challenge…you Naruto." The others, including the man in question were stunned over her choice.

"What?! You challenge me?" He questioned to her, and wanted to make sure that he heard the woman correctly.

"Do you have the guts to accept?" She questioned to him, and since he wasn't getting it she explained it a bit better, "Do you get it: I want to play you, kid?" He heard her and knew that this was real, so he decided to gloat a bit.

"Ha. Guess you heard about my skills." He said to her - wanting her to see him as a top notch Duel Monster duelist.

"Don't flatter yourself." She said back, not intimidated by his comment in the slightest, and once his eyes went wide out of shock she added, "I overheard you and Ashton talking on the boat, and I know he gave you the only Star Chip that you have. My motto is - take out the weakest players first, and considering you wouldn't even be here if Ashton didn't give you one of his chips you've got to be the weakest duelist on the island." He heard her, and did not like what she was implying.

"Hey, do you have to be so insulting." He said to her in a polite tone before his own female friend actually backed up the foe.

"This time she was being truthful." May said causing another gasp to come out of the new guy's mouth. "Sakura's ruthless. Don't duel her first." She warns to him since she did not want him to drop out this early, and esspessily not from her.

"Don't you get it. If you lose this contest: you're out for good." Kiba said to his friend. Trying to spare him the humiliation of dealing with this woman. It was then May went to the experienced member since Wheeler listened to him.

"Ashton, stand up for Naruto. You have to fight her in his place." She said to the raven haired one.

"He has to accept the challenge." The millenium handler said back to his friend even though he knew that she was going to disagree. The new guy heard his pal, and liked what he heard.

"Right. She thinks I'm a pushover, but she'll see." He said back to his faithful friend, but this was not what the other two wanted to hear.

"You can't be serious, Naruto." Kiba Taylor said in awe since he did not belive his old friend to do something this stupid. He looked at the dog lover right in the eye and answered him truthfully.

"If I don't take this challenge then, from now on, every time I see beautiful moutains like these, or a beautiful horizon, it will only remind me that I was a coward who ran away." Wheeler said back.

"I understand, and I'm sorry about what I said." Kiba answered back not really expecting something like that come from Naruto, but he understood none the less.

"If you're going to do this then you better learn fast." May said to her friend before watching him face the new girl with a determined look in his eyes.

"I accpet. Let's duel." Naruto said while praying that she did not get that he was only using the mountains and horizons as an excuse to not run from a fight with someone as breath taking as her.

"Get ready to loose." She said back, and he could tell that she didn't catch is secret meaning. The two went to an open stadium and chose a stand: Sakura/red, and Naruto/blue.

"Go get her, Naruto." May said as she and two others stayed on the sidelines.

"Kick her butt." Kiba added since he wanted his comment to be what they all were thinking. The current duelist liked the praise, and knew that he could do it with their support.

"Yeah!" He cheered back to them with a pumped up first.

"He'll do fine." The experienced duelist commented calmly since he, like the others, had faith in the blonde haired duelist.

"Since you only have one measly star chip. I'll only have to bet one of mine against you." The pink haired one stated as she took off the star she won from the last duelist and showed it to him before placing off to the side.

'At least this region will give me a field advantange.' The new duelist thought as he took off his only star chip from his glove. His thought turned into shout when he looked at the battlefield. "Huh? Oh-No! What are all those mountains doing on my field?" He shouts and questions since he thought it was to be a standard meadow field.

"The field we'll battle on is 40% forest, 40% mountain, and the last 20% is meadow. So deal with it or surrender." The opponent said since this is where she won her second battle of the day.

"Calm down, Naruto, you'll be okay. You're monsters will still get a field power bonus from the meadow part of the field." Ashton assured the nervous battler. He heard him, and calmed down a bit.

"Oh, yeah." The new duelist said to his friend before asking something that has been bugging him for a while. "Hey, Sakura, not for nothing, but I got to ask you one question before we duel?" He asked her calmly.

"Hmm? What?" The opponent questioned; not sure that she heard him right.

"Why did you decide to take part in this tournament? Why is it you duel?" He asked her seriously since he often wanted to know why some people duel.

"In a nutshell because of all the luxuries that the prize money can buy for me." She said and then went into detail over what she plans to buy, but she lost him at 'luxuries'.

"Heh, so that's why you want the prize money? How selfish." The warrior in orange said to her calmly: not caring what she had to say after his comment.

"How dare you try and judge me. Who do you think you are you pathetic little snot." The pink shouted back at him for her selfish.

"Hey, you're only dueling for things, but for your information some of us fight for the people we love." He said to her with a dead serious look in his eyes.

"You'll show her, Naruto. Show her what it's like to duel from the heart." Ashton said to back up his friend.

"Duel!" Both said after they drew their starting five cards.

"So, to start things off: Masaki the Legendary swordsman." The blue duelist said to his opponent after throwing down his first warrior. "The field power bonus will bring his power over three hundred points." He explained once a green armored swordsman appeared on the field with now 1430/1430. "Hey, I made my first move." He cheered, thinking that it was a good one.

"Hmm." Sakura said; not impressed in the slightest at the creature before her.

"What do you think you're doing?" The blue corner questioned when all he heard was humming coming from the other duelist.

"Divining my card. I have to mystically choose which one of them is the best." She answered to him as she has done to others.

"What are you? A pschic?" Wheeler questioned not knowing that he was going to bungle that word in a future duel.

'Could she have a Millenium item?' Ashton thought, but something told him - no. In the red corner she was finally ready to make her decision.

"And the best card would be…"She stalled for dramatic effect. "The Harpie Lady." She announced and that was when a red head woman in with a spaghetti string top, bird wing, and legs came on her side of the field. "Her strength is boosted by the mountains field power bonus." She said to the duelist, but he was so eager that he jumped the gun against a bird with 1690/1820.

"I'll still take it on. Attack!" He shouted while forgetting that it was still her turn. The swordsman charged straight ahead with his sword drawn.

"Naruto, wait, land monsters are at a disadvantage to flying monsters." Ashtond shouted but they all watched as the slash missed and the bird took flight and soared out of the way. "You're warrior looses it's power bonus when battling her, but even with it your warrior was still too weak." The raven haired one pointed out as the monsters were still staring at one another.

"So, Joey blew it already?" The female of the team questioned with concern.

"No, but he attacked too soon before he thought of what her monster was capable of." He said back to her as Masaki got a taste of the bird-woman's talons.

"My samurai's sushi." Naruto said as he watched his gauge go from 2000 to 1410.

"Oh cards, speak to me." Sakura said as she went back to completing her turn. "And I'll chose again…without looking." She informed while placing one card face-down on the field.

"Huh? How's she doing that?" He questioned aloud since this wasn't adding up to him.

"He's lossing it." May said since she heard it in his tone.

"Guess that mop-head wasn't ready with this duel." Kiba pointed out, and used that name since that is what he is reminded when ever he saw his friend's hair.

"Hey, Naruto, think of what you're doing before you move again." Ashton said to his friend, but still believed that the new duelist could pull out a winner. He heard them, but at the moment he was too occupied with this riddle to really listen to them.

'How can she read her cards if they are lying face-down.' The blue duelist thought in confusion.

'Ha. My little card trick has made this kid forget everything he's ever known about Duel Monsters. All I have to do is keep pushing his buttons.' Sakura thought with joy because she was going to win another one through psyche-out warfare, and not skill.

'What do I do?' The blue corner thought before drawing his next card, and when he did he liked what he saw. "Maybe this one - Tiger Axe." He shouted out and a orange/black tiger in blue armor appeared on the field - ready to chop anything in his way with 1690/1430. "My field power bonus should raise his attack power so he could take on Harpie Lady head to head." Naruto said - still thinking that it was only the attack points that matter in a fight.

"You're not thinking. It's still resistant to magic." Ashton shouted out to his friend even though he knew his warning was moot.

"Right, Tiger Axe is still a handicapped Earth-based monster." Sakura said and watched with pleasure as the feline warrior was destroyed and sent to the Graveyard. The blonde watched in anger as his guage went from 1410 to 1020.

"It'll take stronger monsters than your land based wimps to beat my Harpie Lady. Now, I'll play this lovely card without even looking. I'll give you a hint it's an equipment magic card that will help defeat your card in one turn." Sakura boasted to the opponent.

"Again with all that psychic stuff." He said to her in annoyance, but she knew what else to saw since the others have often been staring at her creature the entire duel.

"To simplify what I said earlier - My Harpie Lady will become more beautiful and more powerful with every turn." She said which caused him to think for a moment.

'A beautiful duelist deserves a beautiful card.' The thought was quickly crushed with the worry of the duel. 'Can she see my cards too? Since I can't see what she's playing I got to get defensive.' He thought and threw down one of his cards face-down on the field.

"Running scared, huh?" The pink haired one questioned after seeing the screen that showed the cards the opponent used. "Then let me show you my surprise - Cyber Shield to juice up my Harpie Lady." The female said while revealing a green card with silver armor on the picture. On the battlefield now stood the same Harpie Lady one dark armor was on her arm(just before the wing), legs(just above the knee), and chest. The boost raised Harpie to 2190/2320. If Wheeler didn't know better he could swear there was spikes on the chest armor, but he didn't have time to look too long as his defense monster was destroyed in a blink.

"Kojikocy, No!" Naruto shouted as a monster with 1200 defense was shattered. "How's she doing that?" He questioned while staring at the field..

"She is so much fun!" Sakura shouted happily. "In case you were wondering the next card you were thinking won't work either." She informed him while watching this one squirm.

"Sakura has ESP it has to be it! I'm gonna lose this duel match, and the chance to save my sister." Naruto said as he was believing her ploy more and more.

"This game is mine. You can't win against me." She said to her opponent so he would be even more disconcerted.

"She's right. She's too much for me." He said as self-doubt started to kick in.

"Settle down. Naruto, remember what my grandpa taught you about how to play Duel Monsters." Ashton said to support his friend.

"Don't let her rattle you. She's just trying to psych you out." May shouted out defending her friend. Their cheers did not go over very well with Sakura.

"Hey, girl." Sakura called down to the cheering section causing them to look up at her. "Why don't you use your heart to make Naruto win. Show me what your feelings can do to a weak kid like him." She taunted causing the other female to growl out of anger.

'I hate her.' Gardner thought and wondered if her friends would be okay about torturing this duelist for her attitude even though she already know the answer.

"Let this be a lesson to you, Naruto. If you keep muttering about friendship and feelings, you'll never be a true duelist." Sakura said to the opponent in an almost hateful tone.

"He's losing it." Kiba said to the others in a worried tone since he knew that frustrated groan anywhere.

"He needs help. Ashton help him." May said which caused the item around the man in question's neck to react.

"Don't listen to her Naruto. We're here to help you just like you're always there for us." Ashton said as he now sported a new hair style and a new tone. This new call caused both duelists to turn and face the one that spoke. "Trust me on this. She's just trying to divide and conquer: a strategy that's been used for centuries - believe me I know." He said in a level tone, but when he still saw confusion the experienced duelist added, "Try this idea out: Something which is seen, but can't be seen." The blonde heard all that he said.

"When you get that look in your eye. I believe everything you say." The new duelist said to him while thinking over what he said, 'Something which is see, but can't be seen; what's he getting at.' His thought was interrupted by his opponent laughing at him.

"Do you really think Ashton wants you to be the grand prize winner. He's a duelist too you know. To win you'll have to eventually take him on." The pink haired one said to the duelist in a cocky tone.

"She's right we will have to duel, but…" Naruto said but remembered their talk on the roof of the school.

"Ashton, you're the best friend I ever had. Don't worry we'll rescue your grandfather. We'll do it together. We're a team." He said to his old friend on the roof.

"We are a team." The present date Wheeler muttered to himself. "But I also have to win the contest for Hinata." He added before recalling the video she gave him.

"I'm sending you this video just so you don't forget your little sister's face. It seems I'm running out of time. Take care, Naruto." Hinata from the video said to him.

"What do I do?" He questioned since he was at wits end over who to side with. "Maybe Ashton's right about this thing. I have to stop listening to Sakura's nonsense, and start using my head. I just gotta concentrate on how to win the game." He said before closing his eyes.

'Maybe now he'll get what I was saying.' 'Ashton' thought as he saw the duelist close his eyes.

'Is this what it's like to be blind? To be in a world of darkness.' Naruto thought as he had his eyes closed and all he saw was black. 'I can't let her have this. I won't! I…I.' It was then a smell entered his nose. 'This is what he meant by see, but not seen - I could see the card, but not the smell.' He thought as he realized what his friend meant.

'Good work.' The other contestant thought as he saw his friend smile after figuring out the scam.

"Let's go kid, it's your turn." The duelist in the red corner said to the staller in a board tone not knowing why he was just standing there.

"That's it! I see through your card trick." Wheeler said to her causing her to be off guard over what he said. "You sprayed your cards with different perfumes, and by smelling each different scent you can tell which card is which even when they're face-down." He explained causing her to grow even more concerned. "So you don't have to look to play your cards. That way you can psyche the other player out." He finished his explanation to let her speak.

"No way! How could an amature punk like you see through my aroma strategy. It's just not possible." Sakura said while bing blown by how her plan was stomped by a novice.

"I gotta admit, Sakura. You had me buying into the whole psychic power shtick. I was too freaked out to think things through because of that, but your not a psychic at all - you're just a big fake!" Naruto said to her with his confidence beginning to come back to him.

"All right, Naruto!" Ashton said to him calmly.

"Go get her Naruto." May added to her friend's comment.

"You the man!" The third said as he finished their praises to the friend.

"Ashton, you were right." The blonde said down to the experienced man. This happy exchange was getting on her nerves so Miss Valentine had to set things right.

"Just because you saw through my little psychic act. Doesn't mean you're going to be able to defeat me in a duel." The pink haired one said back to him - trying to mess with his confidence again.

"I think you're wrong. Before you were confusing me and trying to pit me against my friends, but now my mind is clear. I know who I can trust. All you've got left is your cheap tricks and I won't fall for them anymore." He said to her, and saw that she seemed confused over what he said. 'With my friends behind me she's not so formidable, but I think that's a foreign idea to her.' He thought before going back to the duel. "I'm gonna blast you're Harpie with this." He said while showing off an orange dragon.

"Good card, Naruto." His friend said before the duelist set it into the game.

"Baby Dragon." Wheeler called out while sending the 1200/700 creature onto the board without a second thought.

"That wimpy card is your grand play?! I only wish it was worth some more so when I devistate you it'll do more damage to you're life points." Sakura boasted not noticing and/or caring that it was in defense mode. "My card will be Elegant Egotist. It's magic will make duplicates of my Harpie Lady." She explained before placing it on the bottom row of five.

"Oh-no!" Her opponent shouted in surprise as there were two more images on the field.

"Harpie Lady 1,2,3." Sakura said as each of them appeared. The first had red hair and blue wings, the second had blue hair and purple wings, and the third had orange hair and green wings, but they all had spiked armor on their person.

"It's three times the trouble." Naruto pointed out as each bird appeared before him. His friend's were also as surprised as he was.

"Now what? He was struggling when there was only one." Gardner said to the others as she stared at the three new birds.

"Don't give in, Naruto. You've got all kinds of moves left." Kiba shouted up to his friend since he did not wish the blue cornered duelist to fail.

"Really? What moves would those be?" May questioned since as far as she could tell there was no way for him to win.

"How would I know. Ask an expert. Ask Ashton." Taylor said to her before they both looked at their friend who seems to know the angles of dueling.

"It's Naruto's duel. He has to figure it out." Their friend said while still looking out at the field.

"I don't have any cards strong enough to beat three Harpie Ladies." Naruto commented as he gazed at the cards in his hand with zero success.

"And I'm going to keep using the magic of Elegant Egotist to double my Harpies again and again each turn, but while m Harpies multiply I can't attack you, so it's your move. Of course you'll soon be up against an army." She boasted to the new guy.

"An army of Harpies? How the heck do I fight an army?" He questioned after hearing her game plan, and knew the dragon he summoned won't last with those kind of numbers. "She's got a whole army! How am I supposed to beat that?" He questioned while staring at the three in question.

"Don't give up, Naruto." Ashton said up to his friend since he was having a little self doubt issue. The duelist looked down to see what he wanted. "Think hard about her strategy. She been using only one monster card, and strengthening that one card with many magic cards, but there's a serious flaw in her dueling strategy, Naruto." He said which caused the duelist to think of what he said.

"Using magic on one card? That's true - she's just been juicing up the Harpie Lady every turn but if she has mostly magic cards maybe the Harpie Ladies are her only monsters. I bet if I just defeat her Harpies she won't have any monsters left to play." Wheeler said and knew that was the other answer he needed.

"That's right, Naruto. Now, think, what card in your deck will help you win?" The duelist on the ground said back to the dueling duelist.

"Which of my cards? You tell me." Naruto said back to him before reality slapped him in the face. 'Wait, I think maybe you did.' He thought before recalling their earlier encounter - on the boat.

"Salamandra, Kunai with Chain, Baby Dragon, and Shield and Sword - great! With these new magic cards combined with your monsters you'll have a really strong deck." The earlier Ashton said to his friend.

"Aw right." The earlier Naruto said before watching his friend fish a card from his puzzle box.

"Here. Add this to your deck. It could be helpful in a tight spot." The Millenium Puzzle handler said to him while giving him a card. This brought the duelist back to the present.

"The Time Wizard. This is the kind of tight spot, Ashton, must have been talking about. Now if I can just remember what gramps taught me about the way to use a magic card, but do I have it in my hand." Naruto said even though he knew Time Wizard was a monster card.

"If I known how long it was going to take you to make a move - I would have brought a magazine." The prideful pink duelist said in an annoyed tone as she watched him.

"Uh-Oh, the Time Wizard's not in my hand. I'll have to draw for it, but what if I don't get it. What if-." The blue duelist was about to say something before he felt his friend's eyes on him.

'Trust in your cards, Naruto, trust in yourself.' Ashton thought as he watched his friend's nervous reach.

"Here I go, it's all or nothing." The neo duelist said before drawing his card with his eyes closed. Can't standing the surprise he opened his eyes and grew excited over what he saw. "All right - it's the Time Wizard." He shouted while summoning the clock themed creature.

"Hmm? What good is that thing?" The red cornered duelist questioned as she looked at the 500/400 creature.

"Don't you know? The Time Wizard cane make time go faster causing my Baby Dragon to grow into Thousand Dragon." Naruto said to her - believing that his friend's power only worked for the dragon on the field.

"Right, Naruto, and that's not the only affect your Time Wizard will have." The puzzle person said aloud, but decided to let his words speak for themselves.

"Time Magic." The creature in question said before activating his power on the field.

"Baby Dragon transform into Thousand Dragon." The owner of both cards said as they all saw the bright orange child change into a brown/pink scaled dragon. The group were impressed by the numbers: 2400/2000, but Sakura was unimpressed.

"So, now you have a bigger dragon…big deal. My Harpie Ladies still have greater attack power. Attack it my three Harpie Sisters." Sakura commented and then ordered only to see that her creatures have gone downhill in appearance. "WHAT?! What happened to my Harpie Ladies, they've gotten so old." She said aloud once the duelist the worsened condition of her creatures.

"I warned you. A Millenium has passed on the battlefield and your Harpie Ladies have become old and decrepit. Have it, Sakura, time's running out for you and your ladies." Ashton said as he could tell by the look on her face: she knows that she has lost this battle.

"I believed! And the cards came through for me. Awesome!" Naruto said in awe before going down to business. "Go, Thousand Dragon: attack with Inferno flame breath." The dragon did as commanded and since the time factor aged them while they were talking the beast took the pink haired beauty down to zero.

"He did it! Naruto won!" May shouted with joy over what she had seen.

"I knew you could do it." Kiba said with equal joy for his friend.

"Thanks guys." The duelist said with a smile - glad that he still had his back. What made him truly happy was when the experienced one gave him a thumb's up.

"How? How could I ever loose to such an amature?" Sakura questioned while still at her post, trying to figure out what went wrong.

"Hey, Sakura." Her opponent called out which caused her to look up at him. "I tried to tell ya there's more to Duel Monsters than kicking the other guy's butt. If you're ever going to be a real champion ya gotta learn to care about someone other than yourself. Isn't that right, Ashton?" Wheeler said to her in an honest tone before turning to his friend who seems more relaxed now.

'I'm proud of you, Naruto. All your hardwork and training paid off. You went from a guy who had nothing but eagerness and attitude to a winning duelist who battles with his head and his heart.' Ashton thought as his friend gave all three of them the peace sign.


End file.
